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Semantic Crisis Intervention
Some people are bothered by changes in a word’s meaning (see: literally), while others have a more relaxed attitude towards semantic drift. For those who feel vexed when a word seems to have suddenly changed its spots, it may be of some comfort to know that words in English do this all the time; crisis is a fine example. Originally, crisis denoted “the turning point for better or worse in an acute disease or fever.” Now it most commonly means “a difficult or dangerous situation that needs serious attention,” yet few people insist that it should be used exclusively in its older meaning. The normality of semantic change can be seen in another word that first appeared in febrile contexts: hectic, which now is primarily used to mean “very busy,” originally referred to a fever that was fluctuating but recurrent.
Examples of hectic in a Sentence
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 17 Feb. 2026
Smoothly glide through terminals with the 360-degree spinner wheels that provide great mobility and can keep up with you on long, hectic travel days.
—Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 17 Feb. 2026
The hectic scene unfolded as Andersson was attempting to keep Sweden's place on the podium.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 14 Feb. 2026
Just for a brief second, given the hectic schedule that’s become a daily routine, Kon Knueppel takes a minute to reflect on a journey that’s probably felt like it’s happened at warp speed.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hectic
Cite this Entry
“Hectic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hectic. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hectic
adjective
Medical Definition
hectic
adjective
