psychosis

noun

psy·​cho·​sis sī-ˈkō-səs How to pronounce psychosis (audio)
plural psychoses sī-ˈkō-ˌsēz How to pronounce psychosis (audio)
: a serious mental illness (such as schizophrenia) characterized by defective or lost contact with reality often with hallucinations or delusions

Examples of psychosis in a Sentence

The patient suffers from some kind of psychosis.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
In the shadow of Coppola’s collective political fantasy Francis Ford Coppola’s 1979 phantasmagoria Apocalypse Now put the concept of social disaster and political psychosis into the mainstream, from the Vietnam War to the Covidapocalypse. Armond White, National Review, 4 July 2025 Another step that could help youth mental health is HB 1594, requiring health insurance plans to provide complete coverage to anyone younger than 26 years old who is experiencing psychosis for the first time. Stephen Simpson, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025 Lost for nearly 50 years and never fully restored, its fragmented reels and sudden leaps only heighten the silent era’s disorienting psychosis. Ben Croll, Variety, 27 June 2025 There is some history of psychosis, so that’s to be determined. Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 27 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for psychosis

Word History

Etymology

New Latin

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of psychosis was in 1847

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Psychosis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/psychosis. Accessed 23 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

psychosis

noun
psy·​cho·​sis sī-ˈkō-səs How to pronounce psychosis (audio)
plural psychoses -ˈkō-ˌsēz How to pronounce psychosis (audio)
: a serious mental illness marked by loss of or greatly lessened ability to test whether what one is thinking and feeling about the real world is really true

Medical Definition

psychosis

noun
psy·​cho·​sis sī-ˈkō-səs How to pronounce psychosis (audio)
plural psychoses -ˌsēz How to pronounce psychosis (audio)
: a serious mental illness (as schizophrenia) characterized by defective or lost contact with reality often with hallucinations or delusions
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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