as in wakeful
not sleeping or able to sleep
an insomniac veteran tormented by his memories of the war
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Recent Examples of insomniac
Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Feb. 2025
The movie, based on Chuck Palahniuk’s subversive novel, starred Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, and Helena Bonham Carter and followed an insomniac office worker and a devil-may-care soap maker who form an underground fight club that evolves into much more.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 24 Oct. 2024
Every night, inhabitants of the city that never sleeps are kept awake by everything from the sounds of slammed front doors reverberating down hallways to insomniac oboists who could use a few more lessons (ideally during the day).
—Natalie Wexler, The New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2024
The kids fill their insomniac parents with love and fear.
—Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2024
For the insomniac bedmate who turns on the light to read and wakes you up
An eye mask can only do so much.
—Leslie Yazel, wsj.com, 14 Dec. 2023
These narratives are magnetic forces that pull the reader into their worlds, leaving them eager to discover what comes next, from a bricklayer hiding his love for wearing red lipstick to an insomniac journalist fighting street violence.
—Roxsy Lin, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2023
Her concern for her single, insomniac brother is sincere, and at moments doesn’t quite skirt condescension.
—Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Oct. 2023
An insomniac detective investigates a man's mysterious death, and begins to fall in love with his wife while staking out her apartment.
—Jacob Linden, Redbook, 29 June 2023
Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 28 Jan. 2025
Flashbacks and montages of her girlhood and celebrity prime reveal fragments of her biography, but the movie mostly sifts through the singer’s insomniac and at times hallucinogenic hours wandering her palatial apartment and the streets of Paris to probe the mystery of Callas.
—Tim Greiving, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2024
Their pitch is seductive: a digital workforce imbued with the personality of your favorite brands, ready for your insomniac ping about sandals that don’t fit before a vacation.
—Craig S. Smith, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
The drawbacks of insomniacs are the hours available to analyze
a conflict—a convincing script,
a role-play of possible opinions.
—Jennifer Harlan, New York Times, 13 Dec. 2024
Forty years ago, conspiracy theories used to be the stuff of overnight talk radio when hosts filled sleepless hours for insomniacs with hot topics like whether the moon landing was fake, which space aliens are hidden at Area 51 and whether Elvis was living on a remote island in the South Pacific.
—Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 16 July 2024
Europe's most exquisite portrait of an insomniac, as dazzling after such a day in the sun as the moon itself.
—Antonia Quirke, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 May 2024
Trump Has Promised to Do in a Second Term
The misadventures that follow play like Inside Out for anxious insomniacs, as Orion rides shotgun while this gang of R.E.M.-cycle mavericks either lull folks into a restful state or aggressively knock them out .
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 2 Feb. 2024
With a library of thousands and movies and shows, even insomniacs won’t run out of things to watch.
—Bellamy Richardson, wsj.com, 6 Sep. 2023
Adjective
The Gorge centers on these two lonely insomniac snipers who connect with one another from towers that are 600 meters apart.
—Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Feb. 2025
The movie, based on Chuck Palahniuk’s subversive novel, starred Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, and Helena Bonham Carter and followed an insomniac office worker and a devil-may-care soap maker who form an underground fight club that evolves into much more.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 24 Oct. 2024
Every night, inhabitants of the city that never sleeps are kept awake by everything from the sounds of slammed front doors reverberating down hallways to insomniac oboists who could use a few more lessons (ideally during the day).
—Natalie Wexler, The New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2024
The kids fill their insomniac parents with love and fear.
—Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2024
For the insomniac bedmate who turns on the light to read and wakes you up
An eye mask can only do so much.
—Leslie Yazel, wsj.com, 14 Dec. 2023
These narratives are magnetic forces that pull the reader into their worlds, leaving them eager to discover what comes next, from a bricklayer hiding his love for wearing red lipstick to an insomniac journalist fighting street violence.
—Roxsy Lin, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2023
Her concern for her single, insomniac brother is sincere, and at moments doesn’t quite skirt condescension.
—Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Oct. 2023
An insomniac detective investigates a man's mysterious death, and begins to fall in love with his wife while staking out her apartment.
—Jacob Linden, Redbook, 29 June 2023
Noun
It would largely be seen by night owls and insomniacs in major markets like New York City and Washington, D.C.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 28 Jan. 2025
Flashbacks and montages of her girlhood and celebrity prime reveal fragments of her biography, but the movie mostly sifts through the singer’s insomniac and at times hallucinogenic hours wandering her palatial apartment and the streets of Paris to probe the mystery of Callas.
—Tim Greiving, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2024
Their pitch is seductive: a digital workforce imbued with the personality of your favorite brands, ready for your insomniac ping about sandals that don’t fit before a vacation.
—Craig S. Smith, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
The drawbacks of insomniacs are the hours available to analyze
a conflict—a convincing script,
a role-play of possible opinions.
—Jennifer Harlan, New York Times, 13 Dec. 2024
Forty years ago, conspiracy theories used to be the stuff of overnight talk radio when hosts filled sleepless hours for insomniacs with hot topics like whether the moon landing was fake, which space aliens are hidden at Area 51 and whether Elvis was living on a remote island in the South Pacific.
—Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 16 July 2024
Europe's most exquisite portrait of an insomniac, as dazzling after such a day in the sun as the moon itself.
—Antonia Quirke, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 May 2024
Trump Has Promised to Do in a Second Term
The misadventures that follow play like Inside Out for anxious insomniacs, as Orion rides shotgun while this gang of R.E.M.-cycle mavericks either lull folks into a restful state or aggressively knock them out .
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 2 Feb. 2024
With a library of thousands and movies and shows, even insomniacs won’t run out of things to watch.
—Bellamy Richardson, wsj.com, 6 Sep. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insomniac
Adjective
-
Lauren Goode: Who among us doesn't want to have a nap gently guided by our wakeful rhythm?—
Lauren Goode,
WIRED,
16 Jan. 2025
-
Low to medium doses show a reduction in the alpha frequency of brain waves (which correspond to relaxed and wakeful states), along with rising entropy, a signature finding of sober brains sinking deeper into a trip.—
Oshan Jarow,
Vox,
4 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
One of the biggest risers in 2025 dynasty rookie rankings has been Jaylin Noel.—
Steve Bradshaw,
Forbes,
14 Mar. 2025
-
Uche was at one point a huge riser as a pass rusher after an 11.5 sack season back in 2022.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
Newsweek,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The new study, done by Zetian Yang and Michael Long of New York University, managed to place fine electrodes into this area of the brain in both species and track the activity of neurons there while the birds were awake and going about normal activities.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
19 Mar. 2025
-
Moore tried to shake the toddler awake but with no luck, rushed her to the hospital.—
Vanessa Etienne,
People.com,
18 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
And one lively female was virtually sleepless, averaging just four minutes of sleep each day.—
Amber Jorgenson,
Discover Magazine,
20 Feb. 2019
-
Practical and Cute Enter the perfect solution to her sleepless nights.—
Amanda Garrity,
Good Housekeeping,
25 Jan. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Insomniac.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insomniac. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.
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