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
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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 worried
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
Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2025
Freud thought that a patient’s hysteria, say, wasn’t primarily caused by the present conditions of that patient’s life but rather by experiences and fantasies in very early childhood, especially those that took place within the nuclear family.
—Maggie Doherty, Harper's Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
Okla Jones, Essence, 25 Apr. 2025
The star leads a hysterical ensemble in the action-comedy Bride Hard, which marks a reunion for Wilson and her Pitch Perfect costar Anna Camp.
—Benjamin Vanhoose, People.com, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hysteria
Noun
The withdrawal was difficult at times: eight years of manic, identity-warping hysteria and creative intensity.
—Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2025
Freud thought that a patient’s hysteria, say, wasn’t primarily caused by the present conditions of that patient’s life but rather by experiences and fantasies in very early childhood, especially those that took place within the nuclear family.
—Maggie Doherty, Harper's Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
Creating comes natural to the Florida native, who burst onto the scene with hysterical videos on Vine, giving viewers a glimpse into his musical prowess.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 25 Apr. 2025
The star leads a hysterical ensemble in the action-comedy Bride Hard, which marks a reunion for Wilson and her Pitch Perfect costar Anna Camp.
—Benjamin Vanhoose, People.com, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hysteria
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hysteria
Noun
-
The dampened investor mood over AI — relative to the frenzy over the theme in 2024, at least — doesn’t reflect the priorities of companies, which are still spending on AI infrastructure and leveraging the technology to find new revenue streams.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
21 May 2025
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The company hit that once unfathomable goal by the third quarter of 2024, and the company’s market capitalization has skyrocketed by another 370% since to $125 billion, amid a frenzy for anything remotely AI-adjacent.—
Matt Durot,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
Adjective
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That’s not to say the film isn’t funny or sweet, but that there is something much more profound and uncomfortable at its heart, and one that poses a tricky challenge for first-time filmmakers Johansson and Kamen.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
20 May 2025
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His translation recognizes, here and throughout, that the original is funny and compelling enough not to need elaborate explanation, even 60 years after its debut.—
Lily Meyer,
The Dial,
20 May 2025
Adjective
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However, because the pool was shallow, Lisberg was less worried.—
Raven Brunner,
People.com,
25 May 2025
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While Herzig is hoping to win a million dollars, his guests are all worried about their own various fantasy teams, mostly competing for a few hundred bucks.—
David Hill,
Rolling Stone,
24 May 2025
Adjective
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The frightened Maltese was swimming in circles, but Desalvo and his colleagues were able to pull her to safety.—
Rebecca White,
New York Daily News,
10 May 2025
-
The first few attempts to free the dog failed, then the rescuers cleverly used a tarp to hoist the frightened animal to safety.—
Kendall Malinchock,
USA Today,
9 May 2025
Noun
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Aniston, now 56, played a girl trying to stop his murderous rampage after his gold coins were stolen.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
People.com,
23 May 2025
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The probes said Byrd acted in self-defense and credited him with helping to protect lawmakers during the chaotic rampage by rioters including Babbitt, who was not armed.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
19 May 2025
Adjective
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Supreme Court justice calls it 'ridiculous' Trump cuts reach climate scientists who labored for free Kathryn Palmer is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
15 May 2025
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In a world where leaders seem eager to bend the knee to Trump’s every impulse, even the truly ridiculous seems plausible.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2025
Adjective
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Well, Netflix has found another one of these aspirational gurus who are scared to die and are willing to go to extreme lengths to preserve their physique — at any cost.—
Rebecca Aizin,
People.com,
16 May 2025
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More news: 3 Dodgers Under Most Pressure to Perform Following Shocking Roster Move While some fans appeared to be understandably scared, many just remained in their seats, seemingly unaware of the animal scurrying around them.—
Noah Camras,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 May 2025
Adjective
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Galloway provides a perspective that’s at turns humorous and moving, giving new grads solid advice while entertaining them as well.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
22 May 2025
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It is meant to be instructional, philosophical, informative, uplifting, and sometimes humorous.—
Bob Carlson,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hysteria.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hysteria. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
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