syndrome

noun

syn·drome | \ˈsin-ˌdrōm also -drəm

Definition of syndrome

1 : a group of signs and symptoms that occur together and characterize a particular abnormality or condition

2 : a set of concurrent things (such as emotions or actions) that usually form an identifiable pattern

Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about syndrome

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Did You Know?

Combining its two Greek roots, syndrome means basically "running together". So when diagnosing a condition or disease, doctors tend to look for a group of symptoms existing together. As long as a set of symptoms remains mysterious, it may be referred to as a specific syndrome. But if that name is used for a while, it may become the condition's permanent name, even after an underlying cause has been found. So today we have Down syndrome, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, Asperger's syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, Tourette's syndrome, sick building syndrome, and many more. And since mental conditions often turn out to have physical causes, syndrome is used in psychology as well as in medicine.

Examples of syndrome in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The cause was myelodysplastic syndrome and leukemia, his son, Jonathan, said. — Mary Williams Walsh, BostonGlobe.com, "Jeremy Gold, 75, actuary who warned of pension crisis," 14 July 2018 His mother has suffered from lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease, for the past 13 years, and has Sjogren’s syndrome and arthritis, both chronic diseases. — Austin Horn, San Antonio Express-News, "With ACA under attack, a family racked by illness wonders what will happen to their health coverage," 13 July 2018 In the studio, Raphael didn't dictate and Hinds didn't suffer imposter syndrome. — Eve Barlow, GQ, "15 Hours With Hinds, Spain's Wildest Rock Band," 25 June 2018 Just months after being born, Jace Pitre was diagnosed with hypotonia, a condition known as floppy baby syndrome that causes low muscle tone and affects the lungs and heart. — Mike Candelaria, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Buddy Ball Baseball League a field of dreams for kids with disabilities," 21 June 2018 RHP Tyler Thornburg was activated from the disabled list after rehabbing from shoulder surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome last June. — Stephen Whyno, baltimoresun.com, "After being swept by Red Sox and falling below .500, Nationals hold players-only meeting," 4 July 2018 That's a problem, because like the deer ticks that spread Lyme disease, East Asian ticks have been known to spread a deadly virus called SFTS, which stands for severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome. — CBS News, "East Asian tick species arrives in New Jersey, could carry dangerous virus," 24 Apr. 2018 This is what’s known as post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS). — Kate Sheridan, SELF, "Here’s Exactly What to Do if a Tick Bites You," 14 July 2018 The good news was a fast follow to a similar win for luspatercept in a Phase 3 trial involving patients with another blood disease — myelodysplastic syndrome. — Adam Feuerstein, STAT, "Celgene is perking up. Here’s what needs to happen for the momentum to continue," 10 July 2018

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