hyperactivity

noun

hy·​per·​ac·​tiv·​i·​ty ˌhī-pər-ˌak-ˈti-və-tē 

1

: the state or condition of being overly active

Canada geese are disarmingly expressive. … They disdain the frantic hyperactivity of smaller birds.

—Benjamin B. Bachman

2

: increased levels of function or activity especially when considered abnormally excessive

She had developed delusions of invincibility, along with bouts of hyperactivity and severe insomnia.

—Per Ola and Emily D'Aulaire

especially : higher than usual levels of movement and activity (such as excessive talking or fidgeting) typically associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

An estimated 1 in 50 school-age children in the United States, receive stimulant medication to help quell inattentiveness and hyperactivity.

—Christine Mlot

Examples of hyperactivity in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Taking acetaminophen during pregnancy is not clearly linked to autism or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, a new review finds. —Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 9 Nov. 2025

Despite high-profile advice to avoid Tylenol when pregnant and a potential warning-label change to highlight risk, a comprehensive umbrella study of existing reviews has found no credible link between acetaminophen use and autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). —New Atlas, 9 Nov. 2025

Symptoms include irritability and other mood changes, fatigue and trouble sleeping, difficulty concentrating, neck pain, and hyperactivity. —Angela Haupt, Time, 4 Nov. 2025

Well, a new study suggests that not all minds that wander are lost, either, specifically those diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). —Liz Regalia, Parents, 28 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1888, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing hyperactivity

• attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Rhymes for hyperactivity

• bioactivity
• commutativity
• cooperativity
• generativity
• insensitivity
• interactivity
• overactivity
• performativity
• retroactivity
• absorptivity
• affectivity
• collectivity

Medical Definition

hyperactivity

noun

hy·​per·​ac·​tiv·​i·​ty ˌhī-pə-ˌrak-ˈtiv-ət-ē 

plural hyperactivities

: a state or condition of being excessively or pathologically active

especially : attention deficit hyperactivity disorder