stupor

noun stu·por \ ˈstü-pər , ˈstyü- \

|Updated on: 12 Jun 2018

Definition of stupor

1 : a condition of greatly dulled or completely suspended sense or sensibility

a drunken stupor

; specifically : a chiefly mental condition marked by absence of spontaneous movement, greatly diminished responsiveness to stimulation, and usually impaired consciousness

2 : a state of extreme apathy or torpor resulting often from stress or shock : daze

See stupor defined for English-language learners

See stupor defined for kids

Examples of stupor in a Sentence

He fell into a drunken stupor.
in a stupor of fatigue

Recent Examples of stupor from the Web

She was played indelibly by Louise Lasser, who made Mary’s stupor of detachment both pathetic and funny.

— matthew gilbert, BostonGlobe.com, "Why Mary Hartman shouldn’t be forgotten," 21 May 2018
The debauchery grows as the alcohol flows, finding the group in a drunken stupor at the end of a banquet-style meal, some paired off as lovers, others dragged away, pants-less, by their shirts.

— lauren warnecke, chicagotribune.com, "Joffrey's North American premiere of 'Midsummer' is a 'Joy.' That’s its only problem.," 26 Apr. 2018
The track never rises into guitar heroics; there’s a lot of heady downtime, the groove getting thicker, pulling you toward a foreboding stupor.

— giovanni russonello, New York Times, "To Make the Messthetics, Mix a Reunion With One Virtuosic Newcomer," 20 Mar. 2018
On Thursday afternoon, before his offense spent another night in a stupor and his bullpen set another game ablaze, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts allowed himself to hope.

— andy mccullough, latimes.com, "Buehler can only do so much as Dodgers' anemic offense fails to produce," 11 May 2018
Uncertainty kept the economy in a stupor, holding average economic growth during the recovery to a mere 2.1%—barely half the level projected at the start of the recovery.

— phil gramm and, WSJ, "Trump’s Trade Threats Are Hurting Growth," 9 May 2018
And when the Fabs were finally history, what got Paul out of bed (or a stupor) was recording weird, homey songs alone with his new photographer bride without any pressure to live up to the Beatles’ mind-bending psychedelic odysseys.

— morgan enos, Billboard, "Remembering Linda McCartney With 7 Underappreciated Songs," 20 Apr. 2018
On their own, the crises around fake news and election interference may not have shaken us from our screentime stupor.

— nitasha tiku, WIRED, "The WIRED Guide to Internet Addiction," 18 Apr. 2018
Ross befuddled opposing hitters by throwing sliders more than half the time, but his two worst were all the Astros needed to rise out of their recent stupor.

— hunter atkins, Houston Chronicle, "Astros use huge 5th inning to secure victory against Padres," 8 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'stupor.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of stupor

Middle English, from Latin, from stupēre

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

stupor Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of stupor

lethargy, languor, lassitude, stupor, torpor mean physical or mental inertness. lethargy implies such drowsiness or aversion to activity as is induced by disease, injury, or drugs.

- months of lethargy followed my accident

languor suggests inertia induced by an enervating climate or illness or love.

- languor induced by a tropical vacation

lassitude stresses listlessness or indifference resulting from fatigue or poor health.

- a depression marked by lassitude

stupor implies a deadening of the mind and senses by shock, narcotics, or intoxicants.

- lapsed into an alcoholic stupor

torpor implies a state of suspended animation as of hibernating animals but may suggest merely extreme sluggishness.

- a once alert mind now in a torpor

Other Medicine Terms

analgesia, angina, diabetes, hepatitis, homeopathy, logorrhea, palliate, pandemic

STUPOR Defined for English Language Learners

stupor

noun

Definition of stupor for English Language Learners

: a condition in which someone is not able to think normally because of being drunk, drugged, tired, etc.

STUPOR Defined for Kids

stupor

noun stu·por \ ˈstü-pər , ˈstyü- \

Definition of stupor for Students

: a condition of being not alert or able to think normally

Medical Dictionary

stupor

noun stu·por \ ˈst(y)ü-pər \

medical Definition of stupor

: a condition of greatly dulled or completely suspended sense or sensibility

a drunken stupor

; specifically : a chiefly mental condition marked by absence of spontaneous movement, greatly diminished responsiveness to stimulation, and usually impaired consciousness