trance

1 of 2

noun

1
2
: a sleeplike state (as of deep hypnosis) usually characterized by partly suspended animation with diminished or absent sensory and motor activity
3
: a state of profound abstraction or absorption
trancelike adjective

trance

2 of 2

verb

tranced; trancing

Examples of trance in a Sentence

Noun The spiritual healer fell into a trance. He was staring out the window in a trance.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
But the four-time Grammy winner’s buttery smooth vocals over gritty guitar melodies aren’t the only things that have had us in a trance over the years. Akili King, Essence, 12 Mar. 2024 The show, about an hour long, whizzed by in a trance of mostly midtempo rockers without gimmicks. Sophia Solano, Washington Post, 14 Feb. 2024 Just a tiny percentage of the population falling under the trance of its stars translates into millions of people who can, for example, be convinced to head to the nation’s Capital to try to overturn a democratic election. Oliver Darcy, CNN, 31 Jan. 2024 House, techno and trance albums are also flanked by hip-hop and R&B. Miami Staff, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024 Videos posted on social media before the Hamas incursion showed young people bouncing around to trance music under a giant Buddha statue and prayer flags. Richard Engel, NBC News, 13 Jan. 2024 About one-fifth of subjects reported both a negative experience during the trance and some negative after effects. Emily Latimer, Longreads, 25 Jan. 2024 Egg-laying turtles are said to be in a trance while concentrating on the task at hand. Nina Burleigh, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Jan. 2024 Could the eight men have fallen into some sort of trance that ended up sending them away from the research center? William Earl, Variety, 15 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'trance.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English traunce, from Anglo-French transe death, coma, rapture, from transir to depart, die, from Latin transire to cross, pass by — more at transient

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1598, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of trance was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near trance

Cite this Entry

“Trance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trance. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

trance

noun
ˈtran(t)s
1
2
: a sleeplike state (as of deep hypnosis)
3
: a state of being so deeply absorbed in something as to be unaware of one's surroundings
trancelike
-ˌlīk
adjective

Medical Definition

trance

noun
1
: a sleeplike altered state of consciousness (as of deep hypnosis) usually characterized by partly suspended animation with diminished or absent sensory and motor activity and subsequent lack of recall
2
: a state of profound abstraction or absorption
trancelike adjective
or trance-like
a trancelike state

More from Merriam-Webster on trance

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!