hysteric

noun

hys·​ter·​ic hi-ˈster-ik How to pronounce hysteric (audio)
1
: a person subject to or affected by hysteria
2
: an overemotional or unstable person
He's a sweet-natured hysteric who overresponds to every stimulus.Pauline Kael
see also hysterics

Examples of hysteric in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But in preseason camp, Drinkwitz watched Hardy send his experienced, first-team defense into hysterics trying to tackle him. David Ubben, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025 The Surprise Tenant The video's surprise reveal sent viewers into hysterics. Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025 This reversal of affect, with its excessive intensity, marks Dora as a hysteric. Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2025 The scene in the lobby yawed from hysteric to melancholic and back—hundreds of people surrounded by tote bags and dogs, trading rumors, bleak jokes, and fragments of actual news. Dana Goodyear, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hysteric

Word History

First Known Use

1654, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hysteric was in 1654

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Cite this Entry

“Hysteric.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hysteric. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

Medical Definition

hysteric

noun
hys·​ter·​ic his-ˈter-ik How to pronounce hysteric (audio)
: an individual subject to or affected by hysteria
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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