noun
insomnia
in-SAHM-nee-uh/ɪnˈsɑːmniə/
Persistent difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.
Insomnia keeps the tired man awake as the clock advances toward morning.
Etymology
The pieces express being without sleep. Latin used the resulting word for sleeplessness, the same central idea behind persistent difficulty falling asleep or remaining asleep.
In context
We’ve got insomnia, which is persistent problems of falling or staying asleep.
More examples
- He seeks treatment for insomnia after months of broken sleep.
- Stress makes my insomnia worse, even when I feel exhausted.
- The doctor asks whether her insomnia involves trouble falling asleep or staying asleep.
Forms
insomniac noun — A person who regularly experiences insomnia.
Similar words
- sleeplessness
- Can describe a single night, not necessarily a persistent problem.