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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
Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
The hectic nature of it all has not gone unnoticed, with talent being whisked back and forth around the capital to events often happening simultaneously.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025
In July, Lowe slighted the Kings for their hectic situation.
—Ricardo Klein, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
Fancy a few nights by the water after immersing yourself in the hectic pace of Venice proper?
—Liam Hess, Vogue, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hectic
Cite this Entry
“Hectic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hectic. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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hectic
adjective
Medical Definition
hectic
adjective
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