insomnia
noun
in·som·nia
in-ˈsäm-nē-ə 
: prolonged and usually abnormal inability to get enough sleep especially due to trouble falling asleep or staying asleep
chronic insomnia
Insomnia is a patient-reported problem characterized by difficulty falling asleep or difficulty maintaining sleep; ie, frequent awakenings, difficulty returning to sleep after awakenings, or awakening too early with inability to return to sleep.—
Daniel J. Buysse
Daniel J. BuysseExamples of insomnia in a Sentence
has suffered from insomnia virtually his entire life
Recent Examples on the Web
Notably, this wasn’t the result of insomnia — or any sleep disorder for that matter.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Lots of people experience insomnia, almost one out of three.
—Weike Wang, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
Shift Work Sleep Disorder, or SWSD, is the clinical name for the persistent insomnia or excessive sleepiness that lasts more than three months and is tied directly to a person’s work schedule.
—Allison Palmer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 May 2026
The clinical version of that disruption is Shift Work Sleep Disorder, or SWSD, defined as persistent insomnia or excessive sleepiness tied to a work schedule and lasting more than three months.
—Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for insomnia
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Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Lots of people experience insomnia, almost one out of three.
—Weike Wang, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
Shift Work Sleep Disorder, or SWSD, is the clinical name for the persistent insomnia or excessive sleepiness that lasts more than three months and is tied directly to a person’s work schedule.
—Allison Palmer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 May 2026
The clinical version of that disruption is Shift Work Sleep Disorder, or SWSD, defined as persistent insomnia or excessive sleepiness tied to a work schedule and lasting more than three months.
—Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for insomnia
Cite this Entry
“Insomnia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insomnia. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
insomnia
noun
in·som·nia
in-ˈsäm-nē-ə
: prolonged inability to sleep
Medical Definition
insomnia
noun
in·som·nia
in-ˈsäm-nē-ə
: prolonged and usually abnormal inability to obtain adequate sleep especially due to difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
called also agrypnia
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