acute mountain sickness

noun

: altitude sickness that is experienced usually within several hours to one day of ascending above 8000 to 10,000 feet (about 2500 to 3000 meters) and that is marked by headache, nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, insomnia, dizziness, and fatigue, and may lead to serious complications including severe edema of the brain or lungs
abbreviation AMS

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web And in 2015, a 14-year-old called Warren Asiyo died from acute mountain sickness while on a church trip. Kang-chun Cheng, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Oct. 2022 Jonathan Franks, a spokesman for the family, says a Navy neurologist said that Lt. Alkonis had suffered acute mountain sickness. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 8 Jan. 2023 His symptoms — paleness and a loss of consciousness — align with those of acute mountain sickness, which can affect people at altitudes above 8,000 feet, according to information published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Andrew Jeong, Washington Post, 27 Aug. 2022 His symptoms - paleness and a loss of consciousness - align with those of acute mountain sickness, which can affect people at altitudes above 8,000 feet, according to information published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Andrew Jeong, BostonGlobe.com, 27 Aug. 2022 The mild version is acute mountain sickness (AMS), which mostly just manifests as feeling like crap. Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 19 May 2021 Most had ankle or knee injuries or acute mountain sickness. Shanti Lerner, The Arizona Republic, 4 Aug. 2021 Sure enough, the trekkers with the biggest lungs, the biggest spleens, and the biggest reduction in heart rate during a breath-hold were the least likely to develop symptoms of acute mountain sickness. Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 27 Feb. 2020 Guzzle water: Drinking plenty of H2O prevents dehydration, which has symptoms similar to those of acute mountain sickness. National Geographic, 5 Oct. 2019 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'acute mountain sickness.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

1903, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of acute mountain sickness was in 1903

Dictionary Entries Near acute mountain sickness

Cite this Entry

“Acute mountain sickness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acute%20mountain%20sickness. Accessed 23 Mar. 2023.

Medical Definition

acute mountain sickness

noun
: altitude sickness that is experienced usually within several hours to one day of ascending above 8000 to 10,000 feet (about 2500 to 3000 meters) and that is marked by headache, nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, insomnia, dizziness, and fatigue

Note: Acute mountain sickness can lead to serious complications including severe edema of the brain or lungs.

acute mountain sickness … is common in travelers who ascend rapidly to altitudes above 8,000 feet.Erick A. Weiss, Rock & Ice Magazine
abbreviation AMS
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!


A Good Old-Fashioned Quiz

Spell It

Hear a word and type it out. How many can you get right?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can with using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.

Can you make 12 words with 7 letters?

PLAY