autistic

1 of 2

adjective

au·​tis·​tic ȯ-ˈti-stik How to pronounce autistic (audio)
: of, relating to, or marked by autism or autism spectrum disorder
autistic behavior
autistic children
autistically adverb

autistic

2 of 2

noun

: an individual affected with autism or autism spectrum disorder

Examples of autistic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Where are the autistic people with different presentations? Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 24 Feb. 2024 One of his columns on Cerritos College basketball player Kade West, who is deaf and autistic, inspired a short documentary that earned APSE excellence in video honors. Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024 According to the complaint, Brown, who had lived with Platt for a half-dozen years until 2020 and had known him for about 14 years overall, returned almost daily to the New Berlin home on Glen Park Court, where Platt helped care for an adult relative of Brown's who is nonverbal and autistic. Jim Riccioli, Journal Sentinel, 28 Feb. 2024 Matching games assist autistic kids in building social skills. Laura Lu, Ms, Parents, 6 Mar. 2024 That often means suppressing natural autistic tendencies like stimming and editing oneself in conversations to avoid, say, speaking too forcefully or talking at length about a special interest. Aj Willingham, CNN, 4 Mar. 2024 The project uses grandmothers and volunteers to teach autistic teens and young adults to make tortellini by hand in Modena. Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 20 Feb. 2024 Some autistic people are trying to change the field from within. Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 12 Feb. 2024 Additionally, specific behavioral and lifestyle factors have been identified as contributing to unhealthy weight gain in autistic children. Jennifer "jay" Palumbo, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024
Noun
There have been too many stories of autistics violently arrested and even killed by law enforcement. Marie Myung-Ok Lee, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2024 Within the diverse and vast spectrum of autism, there are undoubtedly autistics who go on to experience fulfilling relationships and establish families of their own in adulthood. TIME, 3 Jan. 2024 In 2017, Sonnier and his sister-in-law Shirley Strange-Allen released a children’s book titled The Little Boy Under the Wagon, based on the struggles Sonnier faced growing up autistic in the 1950s in South Louisiana. Ashley Iasimone, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019 In fact, encouraging autonomy fosters confidence and self-assurance, enabling autistics to navigate social situations more effectively. TIME, 3 Jan. 2024 Inevitably, the teaching strategies and therapy for a literal thinker autistic would be different from the needs of a non-literal autistic. Time, 31 July 2023 Which autistic’s need in the room gets prioritized? Hari Srinivasan, Fortune, 27 July 2023 In adulthood, autistics face under/unemployment and inadequate assistance from rehabilitation agencies. John Elder Robison, STAT, 23 Mar. 2023 Getting rid of that social expectation would help autistics move more freely through the world. Laura Newberry, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'autistic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

aut(ism) + -istic, after German autistisch

Note: See note at autism.

Noun

derivative of autistic entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1942, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1965, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of autistic was in 1942

Dictionary Entries Near autistic

Cite this Entry

“Autistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autistic. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

autistic

1 of 2 adjective
au·​tis·​tic ȯ-ˈtis-tik How to pronounce autistic (audio)
: of, relating to, or marked by autism or autism spectrum disorder
autistic behavior
autistic children

autistic

2 of 2 noun
: an individual affected with autism or autism spectrum disorder

More from Merriam-Webster on autistic

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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