hypertension

noun

hy·​per·​ten·​sion ˌhī-pər-ˈten(t)-shən 

1

: abnormally high blood pressure and especially arterial blood pressure

2

: the systemic condition accompanying high blood pressure

Did you know?

You might have thought that hypertension was what a movie audience feels near the climax of a thriller, but you would have been wrong. High blood pressure—that is high pressure against the walls of your veins and arteries caused by blood flow—often occurs when the arteries or veins become blocked or narrowed, making the heart work harder to pump blood. But many cases seem to be the result of smoking or taking in too much salt, and many are genetically caused. Hypertension is serious, since it can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Though it often produces no warning symptoms, your blood pressure can be checked quickly and easily by a nurse. If it's high, it can usually be controlled by stopping smoking, losing weight, lowering your salt intake, and exercising—and if all else fails, by medication.

Examples of hypertension in a Sentence

He's being treated for hypertension.

Recent Examples on the Web

The study examines how death rates might be lower if the 2025 hypertension guidelines were implemented during those years, Al-Jarshawi said. — Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026

The researchers accounted for confounding factors such as age, race, history of hypertension and other traits, notes Jacob Shaw, a study co-author and psychiatry resident at Massachusetts General Hospital/McLean Hospital. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 12 Aug. 2026

Cleveland Clinic warns that people with long-term sleep loss are more likely to develop hypertension and hyperlipidemia, and that insufficient sleep may play a role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 11 Aug. 2026

In fact, research suggests that regularly drinking hibiscus tea may lower systolic blood pressure by about 7 mmHg, with the greatest benefits seen in people with hypertension. — Kathleen Ferraro, Verywell Health, 10 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

hyper- + tension entry 1, probably after French hypertension

First Known Use

1893, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing hypertension

• white-coat hypertension

Rhymes for hypertension

• apprehension
• comprehension
• condescension
• hypotension
• reinvention
• reprehension
• resuspension
• attention
• contention
• convention
• declension
• detention

Kids Definition

hypertension

noun

hy·​per·​ten·​sion ˈhī-pər-ˌten-chən 

: high blood pressure

Medical Definition

hypertension

noun

hy·​per·​ten·​sion ˈhī-pər-ˌten-chən 

1

: abnormally high arterial blood pressure that is usually indicated by an adult systolic blood pressure of 140 mm Hg or greater or a diastolic blood pressure of 90 mm Hg or greater, is chiefly of unknown cause but may be attributable to a preexisting condition (as a renal or endocrine disorder), that typically results in a thickening and inelasticity of arterial walls and hypertrophy of the left heart ventricle, and that is a risk factor for various pathological conditions or events (as heart attack, heart failure, stroke, end-stage renal disease, or retinal hemorrhage) see essential hypertension, secondary hypertension, white coat hypertension

2

: a systemic condition resulting from hypertension that is either symptomless or is accompanied especially by dizziness, palpitations, fainting, or headache