psychosis
noun
psy·cho·sis
sī-ˈkō-səs 
plural psychoses
sī-ˈkō-ˌsēz
: a serious mental illness (such as schizophrenia) characterized by defective or lost contact with reality often with hallucinations or delusions
Examples of psychosis in a Sentence
The patient suffers from some kind of psychosis.
Recent Examples on the Web
The Oscar-winning actress stars as Grace, a mother living in Montana who begins to show signs of postpartum psychosis, her mental distress unraveling her relationship with Jackson (Robert Pattinson).
—
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 6 Oct. 2025
Just as Gein claimed his mother's death drove him to madness and pushed him to commit horrific crimes to fulfill his longing to quite literally embody her, Norman's warped devotion to the late Norma is ultimately revealed as the trigger for his descent into psychosis.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
Smoking marijuana and playing some video games may seem like a chill night for some — but both hobbies have been linked with psychosis in a variety of studies.
—Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2025
In Will There Ever Be Another You, the main character struggles with an illness similar to long COVID, descending into a state of debility and psychosis as readers experience the chaos of her unraveling life.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for psychosis
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Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 6 Oct. 2025
Just as Gein claimed his mother's death drove him to madness and pushed him to commit horrific crimes to fulfill his longing to quite literally embody her, Norman's warped devotion to the late Norma is ultimately revealed as the trigger for his descent into psychosis.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
Smoking marijuana and playing some video games may seem like a chill night for some — but both hobbies have been linked with psychosis in a variety of studies.
—Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2025
In Will There Ever Be Another You, the main character struggles with an illness similar to long COVID, descending into a state of debility and psychosis as readers experience the chaos of her unraveling life.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for psychosis
Cite this Entry
“Psychosis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/psychosis. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
psychosis
noun
psy·cho·sis
sī-ˈkō-səs
plural psychoses
-ˈkō-ˌsēz
: a serious mental illness marked by loss of or greatly lessened ability to test whether what one is thinking and feeling about the real world is really true
Medical Definition
psychosis
noun
psy·cho·sis
sī-ˈkō-səs
plural psychoses
-ˌsēz
: a serious mental illness (as schizophrenia) characterized by defective or lost contact with reality often with hallucinations or delusions
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