dementia

noun

di-ˈmen(t)-shə How to pronounce dementia (audio)
Definition of dementianext
as in schizophrenia
a serious mental disorder that prevents one from living a safe and normal life doctors were able to treat the patient's dementia with drugs and thus allow him to function on his own

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dementia Project Lifesaver members employ GPS tracking to assist in the recovery of dementia and special needs residents, while the Wellness Team focuses on officer wellness, critical incidents, debriefings and peer support. — Shelley Jones, Chicago Tribune, 17 Aug. 2026 He was brought to a hospital emergency department in a Paris suburb where he was diagnosed with dementia — and with anemia caused by a longstanding loss of blood. — ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026 The Moonrise Kingdom actor has largely stepped away from public appearances since he was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in 2023 after originally being diagnosed with aphasia the year prior. — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Aug. 2026 And in a study of a third group of over 690 participants, super movers had better cognition and lower prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. — Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dementia
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dementia
  1. schizophrenia
  2. insanity
  3. hysteria
  4. madness
  5. instability
Noun
  • Four days after the arrest, sources confirmed to Rolling Stone that Nick had been treated for schizophrenia before the shocking double homicide.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 12 Aug. 2026
  • In the last three decades, as involuntary outpatient treatment for people with serious mental health conditions like schizophrenia have expanded to almost every state, the evidence for these programs’ efficacy has remained murky.
    — O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of schizophrenia
Noun
  • Yates was eventually found not guilty by reason of insanity and remains committed to a state mental health facility.
    — Deborah Becker, NPR, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Ulrich plays the enigmatic and manipulative cult leader, who pleads insanity and claims to be taking his commands directly from God.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of insanity
Noun
  • The sociologist Brian Donovan, in a book on the subject, describes how the hysteria over white slavery served at once as a progressive campaign against prostitution and as a vindication of nativist fear.
    — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
  • At different points in history, this condition has been called hysteria or conversion disorder.
    — Mackenzi Moore, The Conversation, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of hysteria
Noun
  • Third, the powder and paint was relentless to the point of ecstatic madness—exactly as Jouvert is meant to be.
    — Baz Dreisinger, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • During the madness, Steven Bodner and another man, both 23, were stabbed on Nagle Ave.
    — Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of madness
Noun
  • Chinese authorities have long seen the deaths of popular former leaders as a potential trigger for a surge of public emotion and an occasional catalyst for instability when remembrance of the dead turns into criticism of those in power.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Said another way, Meta’s social media are an instigator of the community and living that are enemies of depression and mental instability.
    — John Tamny, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of instability

Browse Nearby Words

dementedness
dementia
demerit
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dementia.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dementia. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dementia

Nglish: Translation of dementia for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dementia

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