separation anxiety
noun
: a form of anxiety experienced by a young child and caused by separation from a significant nurturant figure and typically a parent or from familiar surroundings
Examples of separation anxiety in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Other dogs, especially those that are anxious or suffer from separation anxiety, might find comfort in your scent.
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Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 June 2025
That can put them on edge and heighten their separation anxiety, Langan said, and if their owners are depressed or grief-stricken about loss and uncertainty, the animals absorb those emotions too.
—Steve Lopez, Mercury News, 24 June 2025
Some kids are experiencing an increase in panic or nightmares, are more prone to separation anxiety and mood swings, while others appear unaffected, according to O'Malley.
—Emma Bowman, NPR, 2 June 2025
Boredom typically resolves with enrichment, separation anxiety happens when the owner is away, and compulsive behavior tends to be intense, repetitive, and difficult to interrupt—even when the dog is tired.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025
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Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 June 2025
That can put them on edge and heighten their separation anxiety, Langan said, and if their owners are depressed or grief-stricken about loss and uncertainty, the animals absorb those emotions too.
—Steve Lopez, Mercury News, 24 June 2025
Some kids are experiencing an increase in panic or nightmares, are more prone to separation anxiety and mood swings, while others appear unaffected, according to O'Malley.
—Emma Bowman, NPR, 2 June 2025
Boredom typically resolves with enrichment, separation anxiety happens when the owner is away, and compulsive behavior tends to be intense, repetitive, and difficult to interrupt—even when the dog is tired.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for separation anxiety
Cite this Entry
“Separation anxiety.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/separation%20anxiety. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.
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