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hysteria

5 synonyms and 0 antonyms for hysteria, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — A state of extreme, uncontrollable emotion, ranging from panic to wild excitement.

Synonyms

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

craze delirium hysterical neurosis

How to use hysteria

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

mass hysteria whip up hysteria

Etymology

From Latin hystericus, from Greek hysterikos ("suffering in the womb") — from hystera ("womb"). Ancient physicians wrongly attributed this emotional state to the uterus.

Full origin of hysteria →

Frequently asked questions

What does “hysteria” mean?

The word “hysteria” means a state of extreme, uncontrollable emotion, ranging from panic to wild excitement. In plain terms, a wave of extreme, often irrational emotion or panic.

How do you pronounce “hysteria”?

“Hysteria” is pronounced hih-STEH-ree-uh (/hɪˈstɛɹiə/ in IPA).

How do you use “hysteria” in a sentence?

Here is “hysteria” used in a sentence: “News of the surprise winner sent the crowd into hysteria.”

What part of speech is “hysteria”?

“Hysteria” is a noun.

Where does the word “hysteria” come from?

The word “hysteria” comes from Latin. From Latin hystericus, from Greek hysterikos ("suffering in the womb") — from hystera ("womb"). Ancient physicians wrongly attributed this emotional state to the uterus.

Is “hysteria” a common word?

“Hysteria” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C2 level.

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Synonyms and antonyms from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.