1
: transient cessation of respiration
especially
: sleep apnea
2
Examples of apnea in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Trial data into different drugs’ impact on weight loss and on a range of other conditions — from heart conditions, liver and Alzheimer’s disease to sleep apnea and alcohol addiction — has frequently been a catalyst for share price moves.
—
Jenni Reid, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2025
Data was collected for sleep duration, sleep timing and the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), a measure of the severity of sleep apnea.
—Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 30 Aug. 2025
Their concerns are wide-ranging — some have come in after receiving alerts of possible arrhythmias, others have concerns about sleep or possible apnea.
—Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2025
Children diagnosed with whooping cough, a respiratory infection, can lose their breath, have apnea spells, or vomit.
—Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2025
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Jenni Reid, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2025
Data was collected for sleep duration, sleep timing and the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), a measure of the severity of sleep apnea.
—Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 30 Aug. 2025
Their concerns are wide-ranging — some have come in after receiving alerts of possible arrhythmias, others have concerns about sleep or possible apnea.
—Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2025
Children diagnosed with whooping cough, a respiratory infection, can lose their breath, have apnea spells, or vomit.
—Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for apnea
Cite this Entry
“Apnea.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apnea. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
apnea
noun
ap·nea
1
: transient cessation of respiration whether normal (as in hibernating animals) or abnormal (as that caused by certain drugs) see sleep apnea
2
: asphyxia
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