Coma vs. Blackout — What's the Difference?

A coma is a deep state of prolonged unconsciousness in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light, or sound, lacks a normal wake-sleep cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. Coma patients exhibit a complete absence of wakefulness and are unable to consciously feel, speak or move.

A period when all lights must be turned out or covered to prevent them being seen by the enemy during an air raid

A state of deep, often prolonged unconsciousness, usually the result of injury, disease, or poison, in which an individual is incapable of sensing or responding to external stimuli and internal needs.

A temporary loss of consciousness

(Astronomy) The nebulous luminescent cloud surrounding the nucleus of a comet and composed of material evaporated from the nucleus when the comet is near the perihelion of its orbit. The nucleus and coma together form the head of a comet.

A cutoff of electric power, especially as a result of a shortage, a mechanical failure, or overuse by consumers.

(Botany) A usually terminal tuft or cluster, especially a tuft of hairs on a seed, as on a willow or milkweed seed.

The concealment or extinguishment of lights that might be visible to enemy aircraft during an air raid.

(Physics) A diffuse, comet-shaped image of a point source of light or radiation caused by aberration in an optical system.

The sudden extinguishment of all stage lights in a theater to indicate the passage of time or to mark the end of an act or scene.

A state of unconsciousness from which one may not wake up, usually induced by some form of trauma.

A short, comic vaudeville skit that ends with lights off.

(astronomy) A cloud of dust surrounding the nucleus of a comet.

A temporary loss of memory or consciousness.

(optics) A defect characterized by diffuse, pear-shaped images that in an ideal image would appear as points.

A suppression, as of news, by censorship.

(botany) A tuft or bunch, such as the assemblage of branches forming the head of a tree, a cluster of bracts when empty and terminating the inflorescence of a plant, or a tuft of long hairs on certain seeds.

A suppression of the broadcast of an event or program, as to support ticket sales at a local venue.

A state of profound insensibility from which it is difficult or impossible to rouse a person. See Carus.

A suspension of a discounted price or free offer, as for an airline ticket or a lift ticket at a ski resort.

The envelope of a comet; a nebulous covering, which surrounds the nucleus or body of a comet.

A temporary loss of consciousness.

A tuft or bunch, - as the assemblage of branches forming the head of a tree; or a cluster of bracts when empty and terminating the inflorescence of a plant; or a tuft of long hairs on certain seeds.

A temporary loss of memory.

A state of deep and often prolonged unconsciousness; usually the result of disease or injury

An instance of censorship, especially a temporary one.

A usually terminal tuft of hairs especially on a seed

A large-scale power failure, and resulting loss of electricity to consumers.

(astronomy) the luminous cloud of particles surrounding the frozen nucleus of a comet; forms as the comet approaches the sun and is warmed

(historical) The mandatory blocking of all light emanating from buildings, as well as outdoor and street lighting as a measure against aerial bombing or naval attack, as imposed during, e.g., World War II.

(attributive) The blocking out of as much light as possible.

(nonstandard) black out

A suspension of radio or tv broadcasting.

Any darkness resulting from the extinction of lights.

The failure of electric power for a general region sufficient to extinguish all normal lighting.

A momentary loss of consciousness.

Partial or total loss of memory.

A period during which artificial lighting is forbidden, as in a city as a precaution against an air raid.

The darkening of all stage lights, as at then end of a performance or between acts.

Suppression of information distribution; as, there was a blackout on news from the military for the first day of the Gulf War.

The prohibition of the broadcasting of a sports event, such as a boxing match or football game, sometimes confined to one particular area. It is usually done to encourage sales of tickets to the event.

A suspension of radio or tv broadcasting

Darkness resulting from the extinction of lights (as in a city invisible to enemy aircraft)

The failure of electric power for a general region

A momentary loss of consciousness

Partial or total loss of memory;