hysteria
noun
hys·te·ria
hi-ˈster-ē-ə 
-ˈstir-
-ˈstir-
1
: a psychoneurosis marked by emotional excitability and disturbances of the psychogenic, sensory, vasomotor, and visceral (see visceral sense 4) functions
2
: behavior exhibiting overwhelming or unmanageable fear or emotional excess
political hysteria
The plague had caused mass hysteria in the village.
Examples of hysteria in a Sentence
A few of the children began to scream, and soon they were all caught up in the hysteria.
Wartime hysteria led to many unfair accusations of treachery.
The spreading of the disease caused mass hysteria in the village.
Recent Examples on the Web
But it doesn’t get very thoroughly explored in Kermani’s screenplay, which teases with occult aspects that become red herrings, then doesn’t provide the alternative rationale of quasi-religious hysteria much definition, either.
—
Dennis Harvey, Variety, 11 July 2025
Trump initially sparked hysteria in the financial markets by announcing tariff rates on dozens of countries, including 24 percent on Japan and 25 percent on South Korea.
—Dan Gooding
gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 July 2025
Trump initially sparked hysteria in the financial markets by announcing tariff rates on dozens of countries, including 24% on Japan and 25% on South Korea.
—Josh Boak, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2025
The recent decision of the Supreme Court denying the nation’s thousand-odd federal district judges the power, absent class action treatment, to grant nationwide injunctions has generated hysteria from partisans.
—George Liebmann, Baltimore Sun, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for hysteria
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Dennis Harvey, Variety, 11 July 2025
Trump initially sparked hysteria in the financial markets by announcing tariff rates on dozens of countries, including 24 percent on Japan and 25 percent on South Korea.
—Dan Gooding
gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 July 2025
Trump initially sparked hysteria in the financial markets by announcing tariff rates on dozens of countries, including 24% on Japan and 25% on South Korea.
—Josh Boak, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2025
The recent decision of the Supreme Court denying the nation’s thousand-odd federal district judges the power, absent class action treatment, to grant nationwide injunctions has generated hysteria from partisans.
—George Liebmann, Baltimore Sun, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for hysteria
Cite this Entry
“Hysteria.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hysteria. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hysteria
noun
hys·te·ria
his-ˈter-ē-ə
-ˈtir-
-ˈtir-
1
: a nervous disorder marked by excitability of the emotions
2
: unmanageable fear or outburst of emotion
Medical Definition
hysteria
noun
hys·te·ria
his-ˈter-ē-ə
-ˈtir-
-ˈtir-
1
a
: a psychoneurosis marked by emotional excitability and disturbances of the psychic, sensory, vasomotor, and visceral functions without an organic basis
b
: a similar condition in domestic animals
2
: behavior exhibiting overwhelming or unmanageable fear or emotional excess
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