bipolar disorder

noun

: any of several psychological disorders of mood characterized usually by alternating episodes of depression and mania

called also bipolar illness, manic depression

Examples of bipolar disorder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But in 2022, the state found prosecutors' handwritten notes in a banker's box, which Drummond said showed that Sneed told the state he was given lithium after seeing a jailhouse psychiatrist and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. —Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 9 June 2025

February 4, 2025: Ye says on the podcast The Download that he was previously misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder and is actually autistic. —Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 26 May 2025

BetterHelp therapists are all licensed, trained, and accredited, and are equipped to help users manage a variety of mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, PTSD, addiction, and bipolar disorder, as well as life’s various stresses such as grief, loneliness, and trauma. —Gina Vaynshteyn, StyleCaster, 12 May 2025

Big Mood follows Maggie, played by Coughlan, a 30-year-old writer with bipolar disorder. —Peter White, Deadline, 12 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bipolar disorder

• boarder
• border
• corder
• order
• warder
• camcorder
• recorder
• reorder
• suborder
• transborder

Kids Definition

bipolar disorder

noun

: any of several psychological disorders of mood characterized by alternating episodes of depression and mania

Medical Definition

bipolar disorder

noun

: any of several mood disorders characterized usually by alternating episodes of depression and mania

Note: The mania experienced in bipolar disorder may be of the euphoric or irritable type or both.

called also bipolar affective disorder, bipolar illness, manic depression, manic-depressive illness

compare major depressive disorder