dementia
noun
de·men·tia
di-ˈmen(t)-shə 
-shē-ə
1
: a usually progressive condition (such as Alzheimer's disease) marked by the development of multiple cognitive deficits (such as memory impairment, aphasia, and the inability to plan and initiate complex behavior)
… dementia is diagnosed only when both memory and another cognitive function are each affected severely enough to interfere with a person's ability to carry out routine daily activities.—
The Journal of the American Medical Association
The Journal of the American Medical AssociationSynonyms
Examples of dementia in a Sentence
This patient suffers from dementia.
a new study on age-related dementias
Recent Examples on the Web
His condition progressively worsened, and in 2023 he was diagnosed with dementia, according to the lawsuit.
—Jenna Peterson, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
Edward Segarra Jay Leno has been declared the conservator of wife Mavis Leno’s estate amid the philanthropist’s battle with dementia.
—USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2024
Maintaining a lifelong healthy balance of magnesium might help with oxidative stress and conditions like diabetes, dementia, osteoporosis, and hypertension.
—Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024
Judges have said the elderly make up a significant segment of those in guardianship since many who suffer from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease need help caring for themselves.
—Jake Pearson, ProPublica, 2 Apr. 2024
The authors further explained that older adults with dementia or those experiencing altered mental status are also most likely to be misdiagnosed with other conditions, such as urinary tract infections.
—Anuradha Varanasi, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
Most states in the U.S. have few or no dementia training requirements.
—Katherine O'Malley, STAT, 27 Mar. 2024
The legislation also would prevent facilities from hiring or continuing to employ people whose names are on Adult Protective Services’ abuse registry and increase dementia training requirements for workers at facilities licensed to serve residents who need the most help.
—Wyatt Buchanan, The Arizona Republic, 5 Apr. 2024
In 2018, the former president’s doctor revealed that Mr. Trump insisted on taking a dementia screening test known as the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and answered all 30 questions correctly.
—Michael D. Shear Michael D. Shear, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Jenna Peterson, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
Edward Segarra Jay Leno has been declared the conservator of wife Mavis Leno’s estate amid the philanthropist’s battle with dementia.
—USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2024
Maintaining a lifelong healthy balance of magnesium might help with oxidative stress and conditions like diabetes, dementia, osteoporosis, and hypertension.
—Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024
Judges have said the elderly make up a significant segment of those in guardianship since many who suffer from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease need help caring for themselves.
—Jake Pearson, ProPublica, 2 Apr. 2024
The authors further explained that older adults with dementia or those experiencing altered mental status are also most likely to be misdiagnosed with other conditions, such as urinary tract infections.
—Anuradha Varanasi, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
Most states in the U.S. have few or no dementia training requirements.
—Katherine O'Malley, STAT, 27 Mar. 2024
The legislation also would prevent facilities from hiring or continuing to employ people whose names are on Adult Protective Services’ abuse registry and increase dementia training requirements for workers at facilities licensed to serve residents who need the most help.
—Wyatt Buchanan, The Arizona Republic, 5 Apr. 2024
In 2018, the former president’s doctor revealed that Mr. Trump insisted on taking a dementia screening test known as the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and answered all 30 questions correctly.
—Michael D. Shear Michael D. Shear, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dementia.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near dementia
Cite this Entry
“Dementia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dementia. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dementia
noun
de·men·tia
di-ˈmen-chə
1
: a condition of the brain that is marked especially by a deterioration in the ability to think, reason, or remember
2
: a condition of deteriorating mental functioning
Medical Definition
dementia
noun
de·men·tia
di-ˈmen-chə
: a usually progressive condition (as Alzheimer's disease) marked by the development of multiple cognitive deficits (as memory impairment, aphasia, and inability to plan and initiate complex behavior)
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