asymptomatic

adjective

asymp·​tom·​at·​ic ˌā-ˌsim(p)-tə-ˈma-tik 

: not causing, marked by, or presenting with signs or symptoms of infection, illness, or disease

asymptomatic carriers of contagious disease

Acute infection is usually asymptomatic, making early diagnosis difficult.

—Francis V. Chisari

Because gonorrhea is often asymptomatic in women, it can progress painlessly until the result is pelvic inflammatory disease with its sequelae of infertility or ectopic pregnancy.

—Marsha F. Goldsmith

Most patients with gallstones remain asymptomatic for many years and may, in fact, never develop symptoms.

—The Journal of the American Medical Association

Many of the fecal samples positive for Giardia were from asymptomatic pets.

—Lawrence M. Fox

asymptomatically

ˌā-ˌsim(p)-tə-ˈma-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

asymptomatically infected children

The virus may be carried asymptomatically.

Examples of asymptomatic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

It’s often transmitted by someone who is asymptomatic, the Cleveland Clinic says. — Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026

The study enrolled 48,995 asymptomatic adults ages 45 to 85 who were at average risk for colorectal cancer and scheduled for a screening colonoscopy. — Amber Raiken, Verywell Health, 30 July 2026

The approval came on the basis of results from clinical data published last year in JAMA, which included 48,000 asymptomatic adults between ages 45 and 85 who had average cancer risk. — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 28 July 2026

About 80% of infections in people are subclinical or asymptomatic. — Finch Walker, USA Today, 21 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for asymptomatic

• adiabatic
• aristocratic
• axiomatic
• diagrammatic
• diaphragmatic
• electrostatic
• endolymphatic
• epigrammatic
• homeostatic
• idiomatic
• magnetostatic
• melodramatic

Kids Definition

asymptomatic

adjective

asymp·​tom·​at·​ic ˌā-ˌsim(p)-tə-ˈmat-ik 

: presenting no signs of disease

Medical Definition

asymptomatic

adjective

asymp·​tom·​at·​ic ˌā-ˌsim(p)-tə-ˈmat-ik 

: not causing, marked by, or presenting with signs or symptoms of infection, illness, or disease

asymptomatic carriers of contagious disease

Decisions regarding the discontinuation of anticoagulation in such patients remain clinically challenging, requiring physicians to weigh the risk of bleeding against the risk of a stroke from asymptomatic arrhythmia.

—Rodney H. Falk, The New England Journal of Medicine

Acute infection is usually asymptomatic, making early diagnosis difficult.

—Francis V. Chisari, Nature

However, 10% to 25% of patients with Barrett's esophagus are completely asymptomatic.

—Scientific American Medicine Bulletin

Red blood cell transfusions for chronic stable anemia in the asymptomatic patient are not clinically beneficial and will unnecessarily increase the patient's risk for infection, immunization to blood antigens, or hemosiderosis.

—The Journal of the American Medical Association

asymptomatically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

asymptomatically infected adults