hysteria

noun

hys·​te·​ria hi-ˈster-ē-ə  -ˈstir- 

1

: a psychoneurosis marked by emotional excitability and disturbances of the psychogenic, sensory, vasomotor, and visceral (see visceral sense 4) functions

2

: behavior exhibiting overwhelming or unmanageable fear or emotional excess

political hysteria

The plague had caused mass hysteria in the village.

Synonyms

• frenzy
• rampage

Examples of hysteria in a Sentence

A few of the children began to scream, and soon they were all caught up in the hysteria.

Wartime hysteria led to many unfair accusations of treachery.

The spreading of the disease caused mass hysteria in the village.

Recent Examples on the Web

Critics will predictably argue that those two positions are inherently linked; on the opposite side of the political spectrum, oil and gas partisans could point to Gates’ essay as proof that climate hysteria was misguided all along and that fossil use should continue unimpeded. —Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2025

Yet, the sudden hysteria has, conversely, inspired a string of misconceptions and wrongful self-diagnoses. —Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 26 Oct. 2025

Based on legal proceedings and real investigations, The Monster of Florence revisits one of Italy’s darkest chapters through the eyes of those accused over the years—the possible monsters—exposing how hysteria and speculation blurred the line between truth and myth. —Isadora Wandermurem, Time, 22 Oct. 2025

Bursting at the seams with pathos and hysteria, Bride of Frankenstein honors the source material with refreshing originality – an imaginative expansion of Mary Shelley’s novel has proven unsurpassable in the years since. —Rory Doherty, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from English hysteric, adjective, from Latin hystericus, from Greek hysterikos, from hystera womb; from the Greek notion that hysteria was peculiar to women and caused by disturbances of the uterus

First Known Use

1772, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for hysteria

• area
• ceria
• feria
• varia
• aquaria
• gregaria
• herbaria
• malaria
• puparia
• rancheria
• araucaria
• arenaria

Kids Definition

hysteria

noun

hys·​te·​ria his-ˈter-ē-ə  -ˈtir- 

1

: a nervous disorder marked by excitability of the emotions

2

: unmanageable fear or outburst of emotion

Medical Definition

hysteria

noun

hys·​te·​ria his-ˈter-ē-ə  -ˈtir- 

1

a

: a psychoneurosis marked by emotional excitability and disturbances of the psychic, sensory, vasomotor, and visceral functions without an organic basis

b

: a similar condition in domestic animals

2

: behavior exhibiting overwhelming or unmanageable fear or emotional excess