pathological
adjective
path·o·log·i·cal
ˌpa-thə-ˈlä-ji-kəl 
variants
or less commonly pathologic
1
: of or relating to pathology
pathological research
A pathological examination led to the diagnosis.
2
: altered or caused by disease
pathological changes in the body
also
: indicative of disease
pathological symptoms
3
: being such to a degree that is extreme, excessive, or markedly abnormal
a pathological liar
pathological fear
Examples of pathological in a Sentence
He is a pathological liar.
She has a pathological fear of heights.
pathological changes in the body
Recent Examples on the Web
Most people would have pitched this as a pathological case study or a parable for the early 21st century blues, presenting this semi-Robin Hood figure as a folk hero stickin’ it to the man.
—
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2025
Gender diversity is not pathological, agrees the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, another organization that’s critical of the practice.
—Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2025
Are assassins like Kirk’s killer simply pathological outliers among agitated but otherwise self-restrained populations?
—Ron Barrett, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2025
The protein amyloid-beta (Aβ) has been associated with Alzheimer’s disease for nearly 40 years and has driven the development of therapies that target the pathological hallmarks of Aβ plaques seen in the disease.
—New Atlas, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pathological
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David Fear, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2025
Gender diversity is not pathological, agrees the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, another organization that’s critical of the practice.
—Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2025
Are assassins like Kirk’s killer simply pathological outliers among agitated but otherwise self-restrained populations?
—Ron Barrett, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2025
The protein amyloid-beta (Aβ) has been associated with Alzheimer’s disease for nearly 40 years and has driven the development of therapies that target the pathological hallmarks of Aβ plaques seen in the disease.
—New Atlas, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pathological
Cite this Entry
“Pathological.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pathological. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
pathological
adjective
patho·log·i·cal
ˌpath-ə-ˈläj-i-kəl
variants
also pathologic
1
: of or relating to pathology
a pathological laboratory
2
: altered or caused by disease
pathological tissue
also
: indicative of disease
pathological lesions
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