bipolar disorder

noun

: any of several psychological disorders of mood characterized usually by alternating episodes of depression and mania

called also bipolar illness, manic depression

Examples of bipolar disorder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

When speaking to Deadline, which first reported the news of his death, brother Keith Carradine said that their family wanted people to be aware of the actor’s struggle with bipolar disorder. —Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 24 Feb. 2026

While studying for her Master of Social Work, Hartley Short led group and individual therapy sessions for veterans diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. —Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026

His daughter, Ever Carradine, shared that her father died by suicide and was privately grappling with bipolar disorder. —Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 24 Feb. 2026

An agent for Keith Carradine confirmed to THR that Robert Carradine took his own life on Monday, which followed, according to the family, a nearly two-decade battle with bipolar disorder. —Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 24 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bipolar disorder

• boarder
• border
• corder
• order
• warder
• camcorder
• recorder
• reorder
• suborder
• transborder

Kids Definition

bipolar disorder

noun

: any of several psychological disorders of mood characterized by alternating episodes of depression and mania

Medical Definition

bipolar disorder

noun

: any of several mood disorders characterized usually by alternating episodes of depression and mania

Note: The mania experienced in bipolar disorder may be of the euphoric or irritable type or both.

called also bipolar affective disorder, bipolar illness, manic depression, manic-depressive illness

compare major depressive disorder