bipolar disorder

noun

: any of several psychological disorders of mood characterized usually by alternating episodes of depression and mania

called also bipolar illness, manic depression

Examples of bipolar disorder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The notes seemed to show he had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. —Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026

In his first entry, McCloud shared that he had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and paranoid schizophrenia. —Bobby Carter, NPR, 12 May 2026

The risk pattern was strongest for depression and anxiety, but also present for ADHD, bipolar disorder, and personality disorders. —Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 11 May 2026

Internal documents showed that the trial, which ran from 1996 to 1998, aimed to disseminate marketing messages through the medical literature and encourage clinicians to prescribe the drug off-label for conditions it was not approved for, such as neuropathic pain and bipolar disorder. —Sukhun Kang, The Conversation, 6 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bipolar disorder

• boarder
• border
• corder
• order
• warder
• camcorder
• recorder
• reorder
• suborder
• transborder

Kids Definition

bipolar disorder

noun

: any of several psychological disorders of mood characterized by alternating episodes of depression and mania

Medical Definition

bipolar disorder

noun

: any of several mood disorders characterized usually by alternating episodes of depression and mania

Note: The mania experienced in bipolar disorder may be of the euphoric or irritable type or both.

called also bipolar affective disorder, bipolar illness, manic depression, manic-depressive illness

compare major depressive disorder