asymptomatic

adjective

asymp·​tom·​at·​ic ˌā-ˌsim(p)-tə-ˈma-tik 

: not causing, marked by, or presenting with signs or symptoms of infection, illness, or disease

asymptomatic carriers of contagious disease

Acute infection is usually asymptomatic, making early diagnosis difficult.

—Francis V. Chisari

Because gonorrhea is often asymptomatic in women, it can progress painlessly until the result is pelvic inflammatory disease with its sequelae of infertility or ectopic pregnancy.

—Marsha F. Goldsmith

Most patients with gallstones remain asymptomatic for many years and may, in fact, never develop symptoms.

—The Journal of the American Medical Association

Many of the fecal samples positive for Giardia were from asymptomatic pets.

—Lawrence M. Fox

asymptomatically

ˌā-ˌsim(p)-tə-ˈma-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

asymptomatically infected children

The virus may be carried asymptomatically.

Examples of asymptomatic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Aurora and Griffin were asymptomatic, but Mom and Dad were miserable and lacked the energy to keep their very active kids sufficiently entertained. —Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 5 Apr. 2024

Although six dogs were asymptomatic, five were stricken by vomiting, diarrhea and weight loss, according to the department. —Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024

Complicating things further, COVID often triggers asymptomatic infections, which helped the virus continue to spread early in the pandemic even in places where governments established relatively strict containment protocols. —Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2024

The 257 patients who completed the study all had asymptomatic extracranial high-grade internal carotid artery stenosis — in other words, their carotid arteries were blocked with plaque. —Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024

Doctors diagnose many diseases, including diabetes and cancer, with tests in asymptomatic people. —Paula Span, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2024

Another is that many infections are transmitted by asymptomatic people. —Judy Stone, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024

Still, vaccinated people who test positive will likely be asymptomatic or experience a far milder illness than if they were unvaccinated. —Glenn Garner, Peoplemag, 2 Aug. 2023

The research also showed that children had a higher risk of some autoimmune conditions like type 1 diabetes after COVID infection, even if the illness had been mild or asymptomatic. —Jen Christensen, Orange County Register, 13 Feb. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

asymptomatic

adjective

asymp·​tom·​at·​ic ˌā-ˌsim(p)-tə-ˈmat-ik 

: presenting no signs of disease

Medical Definition

asymptomatic

adjective

asymp·​tom·​at·​ic ˌā-ˌsim(p)-tə-ˈmat-ik 

: not causing, marked by, or presenting with signs or symptoms of infection, illness, or disease

asymptomatic carriers of contagious disease

Decisions regarding the discontinuation of anticoagulation in such patients remain clinically challenging, requiring physicians to weigh the risk of bleeding against the risk of a stroke from asymptomatic arrhythmia.

—Rodney H. Falk, The New England Journal of Medicine

Acute infection is usually asymptomatic, making early diagnosis difficult.

—Francis V. Chisari, Nature

However, 10% to 25% of patients with Barrett's esophagus are completely asymptomatic.

—Scientific American Medicine Bulletin

Red blood cell transfusions for chronic stable anemia in the asymptomatic patient are not clinically beneficial and will unnecessarily increase the patient's risk for infection, immunization to blood antigens, or hemosiderosis.

—The Journal of the American Medical Association

asymptomatically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

asymptomatically infected adults