amygdala
noun
amyg·da·la
ə-ˈmig-də-lə 
plural amygdalae
ə-ˈmig-də-ˌlē
-ˌlī
: the one of the four basal ganglia in each cerebral hemisphere that is part of the limbic system and consists of an almond-shaped mass of gray matter in the anterior extremity of the temporal lobe
called also amygdaloid nucleus
Examples of amygdala in a Sentence
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The complaint also alleges that excessive use of the app may result in structural changes to the developing brain, specifically in the amygdala, which is responsible for emotional learning and behavior, and the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for emotional regulation.
—
Greta Cross, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025
For years, the amygdala was thought of as the brain’s fear center, wired mainly to detect threats.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
In contrast, the amygdala, our brain’s threat detector, can hijack performance by triggering panic, freezing motor responses or fueling reckless decisions.
—Fiddy Davis Jaihind Jothikaran, The Conversation, 18 Aug. 2025
Smell signals travel from the nose to the amygdala, the brain’s emotional center, and the hippocampus, its memory hub, on a short pathway only a few synapses long.
—Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 3 July 2025
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Greta Cross, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025
For years, the amygdala was thought of as the brain’s fear center, wired mainly to detect threats.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
In contrast, the amygdala, our brain’s threat detector, can hijack performance by triggering panic, freezing motor responses or fueling reckless decisions.
—Fiddy Davis Jaihind Jothikaran, The Conversation, 18 Aug. 2025
Smell signals travel from the nose to the amygdala, the brain’s emotional center, and the hippocampus, its memory hub, on a short pathway only a few synapses long.
—Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for amygdala
Cite this Entry
“Amygdala.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amygdala. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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amygdala
noun
amyg·da·la
ə-ˈmig-də-lə
: the one of the four basal ganglia in each cerebral hemisphere that is part of the limbic system and consists of an almond-shaped mass of gray matter in the roof of the lateral ventricle
called also amygdaloid body, amygdaloid nucleus
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