sleep apnea

noun

: apnea that recurs during sleep and is caused especially by obstruction of the airway or a disturbance in the brain's respiratory center

Examples of sleep apnea in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The business provides home oxygen, sleep apnea and nebulizer therapies, among other services such as blood-clot testing. — Zev Fima, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2026

Additional research is needed to determine retatrutide's long-term safety and effectiveness for sleep apnea. — Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2026

These range from features addressing women’s sleep needs during pregnancy, postpartum and the menopause to medical uses, including at-home sleep apnea diagnosis. — Amy O’Brien, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2026

Fatigue can indicate sleep apnea, anemia, maybe a thyroid disorder, or even cancer. — Kirsten Balin, STAT, 26 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1975, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sleep apnea

• hypercapnia

Medical Definition

sleep apnea

noun

: brief periods of recurrent cessation of breathing during sleep that is caused especially by obstruction of the airway or a disturbance in the brain's respiratory center and is associated especially with excessive daytime sleepiness