hyperventilation

noun

hy·​per·​ven·​ti·​la·​tion ˌhī-pər-ˌven-tə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce hyperventilation (audio)
: excessive rate and depth of respiration leading to abnormal loss of carbon dioxide from the blood

Examples of hyperventilation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Biden’s use of the wrong word caused a certain hyperventilation about his cognition. Jeff Robbins, Orange County Register, 15 Feb. 2024 Of the 200 passengers the plane was carrying, none were seriously injured – though nine suffered from hyperventilation, a relatively benign outcome given the severity of the situation. Paula Hancocks, CNN, 9 June 2023 According to the Daegu Fire Department, 12 people suffered minor injuries from hyperventilation and nine of them were sent to hospitals in Daegu. Yoonjung Seo, CNN, 29 May 2023 Another Federal Open Market Committee statement, another Jerome Powell press conference, another round of runic dot plots, another bout of hyperventilation as markets and the press attempt to make sense of new marching orders from the Federal Reserve. Joseph C. Sternberg, WSJ, 15 Dec. 2022 The reaction is marked by fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, headache, rapid heart rate, low blood pressure, hyperventilation, flushing, and pain. Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 13 Apr. 2023 But with college football coming back, regardless of its quality or being played in mostly empty stadiums, Americans can at least wrap themselves in the comfortable blanket of hyperventilation and self-loathing every weekend when their favorite teams lose. Dan Wolken, USA TODAY, 13 Sep. 2020 Shallow water blackout, however, occurs in people who practice pre-submersion hyperventilation. Dr. Michael Daignault, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2023 That’s basically hyperventilation. Alli Harvey, Anchorage Daily News, 9 Jan. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hyperventilation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hyperventilation was in 1928

Dictionary Entries Near hyperventilation

Cite this Entry

“Hyperventilation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hyperventilation. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hyperventilation

noun
hy·​per·​ven·​ti·​la·​tion ˌhī-pər-ˌvent-ᵊl-ˈā-shən How to pronounce hyperventilation (audio)
: breathing that is very fast and deep and leads to abnormal loss of carbon dioxide from the blood
hyperventilate
-ˈvent-ᵊl-ˌāt
verb

Medical Definition

hyperventilation

noun
hy·​per·​ven·​ti·​la·​tion -ˌvent-ᵊl-ˈā-shən How to pronounce hyperventilation (audio)
: excessive ventilation
specifically : excessive rate and depth of respiration leading to abnormal loss of carbon dioxide from the blood

called also overventilation

More from Merriam-Webster on hyperventilation

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