au·tis·tic
ȯ-ˈti-stik 
: of, relating to, or marked by autism or autism spectrum disorder
autistic behavior
autistic children
Examples of autistic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Sophie Clark, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 June 2025
In some parts of the country, the misinformation yielded misguided treatments: In 2005, a family in Pennsylvania had their 5-year-old autistic son injected with a mercury-chelating chemical in hopes of curing his condition; less than an hour later, the boy died of a heart attack.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 25 June 2025
Annie Waldman, CNN, 14 Dec. 2024
In one Harvard study, autistics were 40% faster at problem solving that non-autistics.
—Alison Escalante, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for autistic
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adjective
When autistic people do not understand or cannot follow a police officer's instructions, or moves in a way that police perceive as erratic or threatening, police may immediately escalate to using force, including sometimes killing the autistic person.
—Sophie Clark, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 June 2025
In some parts of the country, the misinformation yielded misguided treatments: In 2005, a family in Pennsylvania had their 5-year-old autistic son injected with a mercury-chelating chemical in hopes of curing his condition; less than an hour later, the boy died of a heart attack.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 25 June 2025
Noun
Related article This golf course architect’s daughter was diagnosed non-verbal autistic.
—Annie Waldman, CNN, 14 Dec. 2024
In one Harvard study, autistics were 40% faster at problem solving that non-autistics.
—Alison Escalante, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for autistic
Cite this Entry
“Autistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autistic. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
autistic
1 of 2 adjective
au·tis·tic
ȯ-ˈtis-tik
: of, relating to, or marked by autism or autism spectrum disorder
the autistic community
autistic children
autistic
2 of 2 noun
: a person with autism or autism spectrum disorder
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share