as in frenzy
a state of wildly excited activity or emotion
the hysteria of the mother when she realized that she had lost her four-year-old son in the crowd
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
also hysteric
1
as in funny
causing or intended to cause laughter
some of the things little kids come out with are hysterical
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in agitated
feeling overwhelming fear or worry
the police officer assured the mother that there was no need to get hysterical, for most missing children are found safe and sound
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in frightened
filled with fear or dread
upon hearing the announcement that a shark had been sighted, hysterical beachgoers raced out of the water
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hysteria
Rob Kenner,
VIBE.com,
8 June 2026
Hull pounded his fourth double of the game, prompting mass hysteria from the 3,913 Tar Heel fans and ultimate heartbreak in the other dugout.
—
Alan Cole,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
Culture Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
This was a Jean Paul Gualitier wrap that challenged traditional notions of how a top male soccer player should appear, sending the British tabloids into a hysterical spin.
—
Sheena McKenzie,
CNN Money,
7 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for hysteria
Noun
Unisphere was a fitting antidote to anti-immigrant hysteria.
—
Rob Kenner,
VIBE.com,
8 June 2026
Hull pounded his fourth double of the game, prompting mass hysteria from the 3,913 Tar Heel fans and ultimate heartbreak in the other dugout.
—
Alan Cole,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
Adjective
Then Elizabeth’s sister Lydia (Jenna Coleman) shows up uninvited and hysterical; her still-caddish husband, George Wickham (Matthew Goode), had an argument with his friend Capt.
—
Culture Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
This was a Jean Paul Gualitier wrap that challenged traditional notions of how a top male soccer player should appear, sending the British tabloids into a hysterical spin.
—
Sheena McKenzie,
CNN Money,
7 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for hysteria
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hysteria
Noun
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At a time when SpaceX is sending stock markets around the world into a frenzy, the horse remains firmly at the very heart of Hermès.
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Officials initially ruled it offside, but a VAR check reversed the call, sending Seattle’s Lumen Field into a frenzy and giving Freeman, the youngest player on the roster at just 21-years-old, his first World Cup goal.
Noun
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Three years ago, a then-21-year-old University of Pittsburgh student took Delta-8 and went on a rampage.
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In January, Ye took out an ad in the Wall Street Journal to plead for forgiveness after his antisemitic rampage in 2025.
Cite this Entry
“Hysteria.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hysteria. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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