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Semantic Crisis Intervention
Some people are bothered by changes in a word’s meaning (see: literally), while others have a more relaxed attitude towards semantic drift. For those who feel vexed when a word seems to have suddenly changed its spots, it may be of some comfort to know that words in English do this all the time; crisis is a fine example. Originally, crisis denoted “the turning point for better or worse in an acute disease or fever.” Now it most commonly means “a difficult or dangerous situation that needs serious attention,” yet few people insist that it should be used exclusively in its older meaning. The normality of semantic change can be seen in another word that first appeared in febrile contexts: hectic, which now is primarily used to mean “very busy,” originally referred to a fever that was fluctuating but recurrent.
Examples of hectic in a Sentence
Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025
It’s been a hectic couple of weeks for the Celtics’ first-round pick.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 13 July 2025
The rookie knows that’s the only way to grow in the hectic environment of the NBA Summer League.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2025
To save on precious luggage real estate and remove a stressor when passing through hectic security lines, consider this pack of two small, transparent toiletry bags from Packism.
—Asia London Palomba, Travel + Leisure, 12 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for hectic
Cite this Entry
“Hectic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hectic. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hectic
adjective
Medical Definition
hectic
adjective
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