became comatose

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "became comatose" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in medical or narrative contexts to describe someone who has entered a state of coma or unconsciousness. Example: "After the accident, he became comatose and was rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

23 human-written examples

She soon became comatose.

The New York Times

The women had headaches and psychiatric symptoms and became comatose.

The New York Times

She became comatose, and she died of a pulmonary embolism before church members finally brought her to the hospital.

The New Yorker

In one flashback to the time before he became comatose, George coins the term "holomelancholia" to describe "the inevitable disappointment of virtual worlds".

The New York Times - Books

Those are among the factors that fuelled two recent cases, one in California involving a thirteen-year-old girl who suffered surgical complications, and one in Texas, involving a thirty-three-year-old pregnant woman who became comatose for unknown reasons.

The New Yorker

After 48 hours of hospitalization, she developed hyperpyrexia, hemiplegia of left limbs and became comatose due to a "mass effect" produced by unilateral edematous venous infarction and parenchymal hemorrhage detected by cerebral CT.

The Journal of Headache and Pain

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

37 human-written examples

In the 81st week, the patient became comatosed (Glasogow Coma Scale 5) with hypertonia, a positive Babinski sign, and neck rigidity, indicative of central nervous system infection or metabolic encephalopathy.

BMC Infectious Diseases

The Seattle center also treated people who had become comatose from drug overdoses.

The New York Times

A beautiful young dancer and a beautiful young bullfighter become comatose.

The New York Times

Several have become comatose and many patients are being treated for diarrhoea and vomiting.

The Guardian

Such patients rapidly become comatose; mortality is as high as 90 percent.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "became comatose" to clearly and directly indicate that someone has entered a state of prolonged unconsciousness, typically due to illness or injury. Be mindful of the context; ensure it aligns with medical or narrative descriptions of such a state.

Common error

Avoid using "became comatose" to describe brief periods of unconsciousness. This phrase suggests a more prolonged and serious condition than simply fainting or briefly losing consciousness.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "became comatose" functions as a verb phrase indicating a change of state. It specifies that a subject has transitioned into a state of coma, a prolonged state of unconsciousness. Ludwig AI shows how this phrase is used in various contexts, primarily in news and scientific reports.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "became comatose" is a grammatically correct and commonly used verb phrase that describes the act of entering a comatose state. As indicated by Ludwig AI, it is frequently found in both scientific and news contexts, reflecting its role in reporting medical conditions. While alternatives like "fell into a coma" or "lost consciousness" exist, "became comatose" provides a direct and explicit description of a serious decline in health. When using the phrase, it's essential to consider the gravity of the situation and avoid applying it to minor instances of unconsciousness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fell into a coma

Emphasizes the sudden entry into a comatose state.

slipped into a coma

Suggests a gentle or subtle transition into a comatose state.

lapsed into unconsciousness

Highlights a gradual decline into unconsciousness.

descended into a coma

Implies a progressive worsening of condition leading to coma.

lost consciousness

A broader term indicating a loss of awareness, not necessarily a deep coma.

developed a coma

Implies the coma was a result of a condition or disease that progressed.

succumbed to a coma

Highlights the fatalistic nature or the severity of the situation leading to the comatose state.

became unresponsive

Focuses on the lack of response to external stimuli.

entered a vegetative state

Indicates a chronic state of severely impaired consciousness.

became inert

Describes a state of inactivity and lack of movement or responsiveness.

FAQs

How can I use "became comatose" in a sentence?

You can use "became comatose" to describe someone's state after a severe accident or illness, for example: "After the car accident, the driver "became comatose" and was rushed to the hospital".

What's a simpler way to say "became comatose"?

While "became comatose" is direct, you can use phrases like "lost consciousness" or "fell into a coma" if you want a less technical term.

What does it mean when someone "becomes comatose"?

When someone "becomes comatose", it means they have entered a state of prolonged unconsciousness where they cannot be awakened, respond to stimuli, or voluntarily move.

Is there a difference between "becoming comatose" and "being in a vegetative state"?

"Becoming comatose" describes the process of entering a coma, while "being in a vegetative state" describes a chronic condition of severely impaired consciousness that may follow a coma. Although the terms are related, they don't describe the same thing, because coma is not always followed by vegetative state.