bedridden

adjective

Definition of bedriddennext
as in bedfast

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bedridden After her mother had become bedridden, Kenzo spent all his time at another woman’s house. — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026 Along with all these obligations, Tonina is taking care of her bedridden mother, who is suffering from dementia. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026 The household quickly settled in, and within two weeks, Trotsky had resumed work on his biography of Lenin, while Natalia remained bedridden with a recurring bout of malaria. — Literary Hub, 28 July 2026 Gregory Maassen was nearly bedridden by a burning sensation that was later diagnosed as a rare form of neuropathy. — Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 21 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for bedridden
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bedridden
  1. sickly
  2. ailing
  3. frail
  4. dying
  5. invalid
  6. incapacitated
Adjective
  • Nick Interlandi’s soundscapes swell with the rat-a-tat of machine guns, or zero in on the precise, satisfying crunch of glass cracking under bone, while Oren Soffer’s cinematography runs the gamut from sickly clinical to startlingly sensual.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Seeing her daughter in that state, babbling nonsense and barely able to stand, Letizia had goggled with the watery eyes of a sickly old lady.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of sickly
Adjective
  • Costello told The News there weren’t many people looking out for the ailing former mayor.
    — Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 6 Sep. 2026
  • It should be duly noted, Bailey Johnson would be a worthy option to join whichever lady decides on the supporting campaign and as the ailing father, Paul Jesson is also incredibly rich and dynamic and would be worthy of consideration.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of ailing
Adjective
  • Though Steinem had recently become more frail physically, her wit and humor remained totally intact.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
  • In the last decade, Jackson has paid a Miami company more than $35 million to discharge mostly frail patients with nowhere to go into assisted living beds.
    — Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of frail
Adjective
  • What’s the vibe for you, post-dying?
    — Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 22 June 2026
  • Garden centers aren't giving a refund for a dying or dead plant but rather a discount on a new purchase.
    — Lauren David, Southern Living, 17 Dec. 2025
Definition of dying
Adjective
  • Challenges to Essayli’s position were brought in several criminal cases, with defense lawyers arguing that charges filed under his watch are invalid and should be dismissed.
    — Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Johnson County District Court Judge Stephanie Goodenow sided with the petitioners in a decision Thursday, saying the city failed to meet its burden to prove the petition was invalid.
    — Cuyler Dunn, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of invalid
Adjective
  • Alejandro Diaz Torriente, 67, inserted himself into the incapacitated woman’s life to take her money and her property, according to a 2023 arrest affidavit.
    — Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Leagues want franchises to have predictable and reliable succession plans for when a controlling owner dies or becomes incapacitated.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of incapacitated

Browse Nearby Words

bedraggling
bedridden
bedrock
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bedridden.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bedridden. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of patina

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
funny guinea pig in glasses reading a book
Challenging Words You Should Know Vol 2 Words to the wise
See All