apoplexy

noun

ap·o·plexy | \ ˈa-pə-ˌplek-sē

Definition of apoplexy

1 medical

a dated : stroke sense 5 The medical evidence showed conclusively that death was due to apoplexy. —Arthur Conan Doyle

b : gross hemorrhage into a cavity or into the substance of an organ pituitary apoplexy

2 : a state of intense and almost uncontrollable anger … he had irritated his superior into apoplexy … —Kevin Patterson … this latest attraction has sparked apoplexy among some environmentalists. —Jayne Clark

Examples of apoplexy in a Sentence

Her speech caused apoplexy among the audience members.

Recent Examples on the Web

Bendig, 84, died of complications from a pituitary apoplexy on June 3 at the Avantara Park Ridge nursing and rehabilitation center in Park Ridge, said his son Ray. — Bob Goldsborough, chicagotribune.com, "Raymond Bendig, veteran Chicago journalist, dies," 17 June 2018 Slowly, for all the sound and fury of Arsenal Fan TV and the apoplexy on social media, expectations have lowered. — Jonathan Wilson, SI.com, "Imbalanced Arsenal Has Foundation to Build on After Landing Aubameyang, Mkhitaryan," 31 Jan. 2018 Strange finished second, which sent mainstream Republicans like McConnell into apoplexy. — Matthew Cooper, Newsweek, "Trump and Alabama: Will Bannon-Backed Candidate Help Democrats Win in 2018?," 25 Sep. 2017 That drove many Republicans to apoplexy, but one can see the logic for Trump. — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, "DACA Pits Trump Against His Own Administration," 7 Sep. 2017 In 1954, the Supreme Court’s school desegregation decision threw Southern segregationists into political apoplexy. — Timothy B. Tyson, New York Times, "The Civil Rights Stories We Need to Remember," 19 May 2017 This eccentric, irascible man would have caused occasional — perhaps regular — bouts of apoplexy in homeowners tying their dreams and finances to him. — Cindy Decker, chicagotribune.com, "Falling for Frank Lloyd Wright in Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands," 4 May 2017 Woe betide those with short necks, as they were considered to be at special risk for apoplexy (the term used for sudden seizure or stroke). — Moira Macdonald, The Seattle Times, "Mind the ha-ha, and other gems from ‘The Annotated Mansfield Park’," 30 Apr. 2017 Kellyanne Conway will have to suffice as the Angie Dickinson token blonde and all-around fun gal, eclipsed in the public eye by Sean Spicer’s virtuoso performances of steampunk apoplexy as White House press secretary. — Vanityfair.com, VanityFair.com, "Can Melania Trump Ever Be a Great First Lady?," 28 Apr. 2017

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

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Dictionary Entries near apoplexy

apoplectic

apoplectiform septicemia

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The first known use of apoplexy was in the 15th century

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More Definitions for apoplexy

apoplexy

noun

ap·o·plexy | \ ˈap-ə-ˌplek-sē

plural apoplexies

Medical Definition of apoplexy

1 dated : stroke In apoplexy or “stroke” … an artery in the brain either ruptures and bleeds or is blocked. —Morris Fishbein, The Modern Family Health Guide, 1959