trance

trance — noun

1. a sleeplike condition in which a person is awake but has only very limited aware

1.nounB2
Definition

a sleeplike condition in which a person is awake but has only very limited awareness of their surroundings, typically caused by hypnosis, intense shock, or deep mental relaxation

Example

The therapist's quiet voice guided Eitan into a deep trance during the session.

guide + into + trance

After hearing the bad news, Salma sat in a trance, barely reacting to anyone around her.

sit in a trance (shock response)

Common collocations
  • deep trance
  • light trance
  • fall into a trance
  • come out of a trance
  • hypnotic trance
  • in a trance
Synonyms
  • daze

    less deep than a trance; usually caused by shock or a blow rather than hypnosis

  • stupor

    more medical/drinking-related; implies near-unconsciousness, not suggestibility

  • fugue

    a rare psychological condition with loss of identity; more extreme than trance

Usage Note

Often occurs with verbs like 'fall into', 'go into', 'be in', or 'come out of'. The state can be deliberately induced (by a hypnotist) or caused by trauma.

Common Mistakes

He was in a trance sleep.
He was in a trance.
'trance' already describes the state; do not add 'sleep' after it.

2. a fast dance music style played with electronic instruments, using a steady beat

2.nounB1
Definition

a fast dance music style played with electronic instruments, using a steady beat to give listeners a relaxed, dreamy feeling

Example

Felix prefers trance over other electronic genres because of its hypnotic melodies.

prefer + trance + over + other genres

The DJ played trance all night, and the crowd danced with their eyes closed.

Common collocations
  • trance music
  • trance track
  • trance DJ
  • trance festival
  • trance beat
Synonyms
  • electronic dance music (EDM)

    the broader category that includes trance, not a direct synonym

  • techno

    has a faster, harder beat and fewer melodic layers than trance

  • house

    slower tempo, more vocals and bass-driven compared to trance

Usage Note

Uncountable noun. Common sub-genres include 'progressive trance', 'psytrance', and 'uplifting trance'. Often contrasts with 'house' or 'techno'.

3. a condition of being so deeply absorbed in your own thinking that you lose aware

3.nounB2
Definition

a condition of being so deeply absorbed in your own thinking that you lose awareness of people, sounds, or movement around you

Example

Sofia was in a trance while sketching her design and jumped when her phone rang.

in a trance while + [activity]

Jisoo walked into the wrong room, lost in a trance about her exam the next day.

Common collocations
  • in a trance
  • lost in a trance
  • snap out of a trance
  • break the trance
Synonyms
  • reverie

    more poetic and pleasant daydreaming; less intense than trance

  • brown study

    an old-fashioned phrase for deep, gloomy thought

  • contemplation

    more deliberate and active than trance; you choose to think deeply

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1: this state is natural (daydreaming, concentration) and not induced by hypnosis or shock. The person can usually be snapped out of it easily.

trance — verb

Word family

  • trance-like
    adjectiveC1
  • trancing
    adjectiveC1
  • tranced
    adjectiveC1
  • entrance
    verbB2
  • trance music
    nounB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Trance, daze, stupor, fugue, and coma all describe states of reduced awareness, but they differ in cause and depth. A trance is a sleeplike state where the person can still hear and respond to a hypnotist's voice; it is often deliberately induced. A daze is shallower and usually follows a shock or blow to the head — the person appears confused but not fully unconscious. A stupor is deeper and more medical, often caused by alcohol or drugs, with very little response to the outside world. A fugue is a rare psychiatric condition in which a person loses their identity and memories and may travel or start a new life without awareness. A coma is the deepest of all — a medical emergency where the person cannot be woken up at all. For example: a hypnotist puts a client into a trance to help them quit smoking; after a car accident, the driver wanders around in a daze; after drinking too much, someone may lie in a stupor. Each word picks a different level of depth and a different cause.

dazestuporfuguecoma ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • trance state
  • trance music
  • trance festival
  • trance track
  • trance DJ

Phrases

  • fall into a trance
  • come out of a trance
  • snap out of a trance
  • be lost in a trance
  • send someone into a trance

Prepositions

  • in a trance
  • into a trance
  • out of a trance
  • under trance

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

Trance comes from Latin 'transire', meaning 'to go across' or 'pass over'. In Old French it became 'transe', meaning 'passage from life to death' or 'extreme fear'. By the 14th century, it referred to a state of suspension between life and death, and later to any altered mental state resembling deathlike sleep. The music genre sense developed in the late 20th century, named for the trance-like feeling the repetitive beats create in listeners.