separation anxiety

Definition of separation anxiety

: 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 Aside from autism, the Kings’ minor daughter is diagnosed with behavioral and emotional disabilities, including separation anxiety and ADHD, according to the lawsuit. — Monivette Cordeiro, orlandosentinel.com, "Lawsuit: Orange sheriff, school board ‘negligent’ after special-needs student involuntarily committed for meltdown," 1 Dec. 2020 But both cast and crew are already experiencing on-set separation anxiety. — Dalton Ross, EW.com, "The Walking Dead cast wearing tracers to protect against COVID-19," 21 Oct. 2020 Rose Newnham, a mother in New York with a 7-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son, noticed separation anxiety in one of her children early in the pandemic. — Washington Post, "As kids move from quarantine to school, separation anxiety may follow. Here’s how to help.," 21 Aug. 2020 Barton tells the station that her son suffers from severe separation anxiety. — Steve Helling, PEOPLE.com, "Utah Police Shot a 13-Year-Old Boy with Autism After His Mother Called 911 for Help," 8 Sep. 2020 Krulik has been helping her clients with one of the biggest problems that has emerged from the novel coronavirus pandemic: separation anxiety. — Maura Judkis, Washington Post, "Dogs, too, can find the pandemic disorienting," 24 Aug. 2020 Dogs that with separation anxiety, for instance, also tended to be compulsive and hyperactive. — Katherine J. Wu, Smithsonian Magazine, "Most Dogs Show Anxiety-Related Behaviors, Study Finds," 9 Mar. 2020 Some dogs may face separation anxiety after having their owners home all the time for several months. — Tracy Maness, Houston Chronicle, "Dog daycare owner offers pup pandemic advice," 24 Aug. 2020 The term separation anxiety is a bit of a misnomer, Mills says. — Maura Judkis, Washington Post, "Dogs, too, can find the pandemic disorienting," 24 Aug. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'separation anxiety.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

7 Dec 2020

Cite this Entry

“Separation anxiety.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/separation%20anxiety. Accessed 17 Jan. 2021.

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More Definitions for separation anxiety

separation anxiety

noun

English Language Learners Definition of separation anxiety

: a feeling of strong fear and anxiety that is experienced by a young child when the child is separated from a parent

See the full definition for separation anxiety in the English Language Learners Dictionary

separation anxiety

noun

Medical Definition of separation anxiety

: a form of anxiety that is caused by separation from a significant nurturant figure and typically a parent or from familiar surroundings and that has an onset during childhood or sometimes adolescence