What does "trance" mean?
A dazed or unconscious condition.
Trance
/tɹɑːns/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A dazed or unconscious condition.
- Grammar: trance is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: absence of mind, absentmindedness, absorption, abstractedness.
- Useful contrasts: alertness, classical music, normal consciousness.
- Usage evidence: He is wandering around in a trance.
How to use "trance"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "trance" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "trance" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "trance" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "trance" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "trance" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "absence of mind" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "trance", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A dazed or unconscious condition. countable
- 2 A tedious journey. dialectal
"So saying, he led the way out through halls and trances that were weel kend to my gudesire, and into the auld oak parlour; […]"
- 3 a state of mind in which consciousness is fragile and voluntary action is poor or missing; a state resembling deep sleep wordnet
- 4 A state of awareness, concentration, or focus that filters experience and information (for example, a state of meditation or possession by some being). countable
"And he became very hungry, and would have eaten; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance."
- 5 A genre of electronic dance music with a fast tempo, repetitive phrasing, and often a hypnotic effect. wordnet
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 A state of low response to stimulus and diminished, narrow attention; particularly one induced by hypnosis. countable
- 7 a psychological state induced by (or as if induced by) a magical incantation wordnet
- 8 Ellipsis of trance music (“genre of electronic dance music”). abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis, uncountable
Verb
- 1 To (cause to) be in a trance; to entrance. ambitransitive
"And there I left him tranced."
- 2 To walk heavily or with some difficulty; to tramp, to trudge. dialectal, intransitive
- 3 attract; cause to be enamored wordnet
- 4 To create in or via a trance. rare, transitive
"The Horned Toad (kɛŋkak) tranced the rivers into being. A bakɔh bird tranced the mountains. The Scrub Bulbul (ˀɛsˀããs) drilled fire into existence with its beak. And, finally, the Bronzed Black Drongo (tɛrhɛɛh) tranced the year […]"
- 5 To pass across or over; to traverse. dialectal, intransitive
"Trance the world o'er."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 To travel quickly over a long distance. dialectal, intransitive
Proper Noun
- 1 France. derogatory, offensive
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"He is wandering around in a trance."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "trance"?
Common synonyms include: absence of mind, absentmindedness, absorption, abstractedness, abstraction, amnesia.
How do you use "trance" in a sentence?
He is wandering around in a trance.
How do you pronounce "trance"?
Pronounced /tɹɑːns/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English traunce, from Anglo-Norman transe (“fear of coming evil; passage from life to death”), from transir (“to be numb with fear; to die, pass on”), from Latin trānseō (“to cross over”).
Etymology 2
The verb is derived from Middle English traunce, trauncen, trancen (“to move about (?); to prance (?); to trample the ground”) (whence modern English trounce with the same senses, which see for more). The noun is probably derived from the verb.
Etymology 3
Possibly a mix of trans + France.