insomniac
/in'sɔmniæk/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adjective:
- Experiencing or characterized by sleeplessness: Describes a person who has difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, or a period of time marked by such sleeplessness.
- Related to or causing sleeplessness: Pertaining to the condition of insomnia.
Noun:
- A person who suffers from insomnia: Someone who chronically experiences an inability to sleep adequately.
Usage Examples
Adjective:
- The insomniac patient tried various relaxation techniques. (The patient suffering from sleeplessness tried various relaxation techniques.)
- She spent another insomniac night staring at the ceiling. (She spent another sleepless night staring at the ceiling.)
Noun:
- As a lifelong insomniac, he was familiar with the sound of the 3 a.m. news. (As a person who has suffered from lifelong sleeplessness, he was familiar with the sound of the 3 a.m. news.)
- The support group was helpful for fellow insomniacs. (The support group was helpful for fellow people who cannot sleep.)
Advanced Usage
"Chronic insomniac": A person who suffers from long-term, persistent insomnia.
- Chronic insomniacs often require medical intervention. (People with long-term sleeplessness often require medical intervention.)
"Insomniac tendencies": A predisposition or recurring pattern of sleeplessness.
- His insomniac tendencies worsened during times of stress. (His recurring patterns of sleeplessness worsened during times of stress.)
Variants and Related Words
- Insomnia (n): The condition of being unable to sleep.
- Her insomnia made it hard to concentrate during the day.
- Insomniacally (adv): In a manner related to or characteristic of insomnia. (This form is rare but can be used descriptively).
- He paced the floor insomniacally.
Synonyms
- Sleepless: Without sleep; experiencing a lack of sleep.
- Wakeful: Unable to sleep; characterized by being awake.
- Restless: Unable to rest or relax, often leading to sleeplessness.
Antonyms
- Somnolent: Sleepy; drowsy.
- Slumberous: Characterized by or suggestive of sleep.
Related Phrases/Idioms
- To have an insomniac streak: To have a period or inherent tendency of suffering from sleeplessness.
- Ever since the project started, she's had an insomniac streak. (Ever since the project started, she's had a period of suffering from sleeplessness.)
- The insomniac's hour: A poetic or descriptive term for the late night/early morning hours when one cannot sleep.
- He was a frequent visitor to the diner during the insomniac's hour. (He was a frequent visitor to the diner during the late-night hours associated with sleeplessness.)
Adjective
- experiencing or accompanied by sleeplessness
- insomniac old people
- insomniac nights
- lay sleepless all night
- twenty watchful, weary, tedious nights- Shakespeare
Noun
- someone who cannot sleep