Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

affective disorder

American  

noun

Psychiatry.
  1. any mental disorder, as depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, or cyclothymia, in which a major disturbance of feelings or emotions is predominant.


affective disorder British  

noun

  1. any mental disorder, such as depression or mania, that is characterized by abnormal disturbances of mood

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

affective disorder Scientific  
/ ə-fĕktĭv /

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The 27-year-old data scientist struggles with seasonal affective disorder, meaning January can be tough, but she has found ways to counter it.

From BBC Jan. 18, 2026

Lemonaid began treating seasonal affective disorder last winter for $95 a month.

From Seattle Times Dec. 26, 2023

Subsequent studies in humans established connections between carbohydrates and mood, especially in relation to obesity, depression and seasonal affective disorder.

From Salon Aug. 28, 2023

Recently disclosed documents contradicted Mr. Sneed’s testimony about whether he had been treated by a psychiatrist, and they appeared to show that he had been diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder.

From New York Times May 5, 2023

Some health professionals say they’ve seen an uptick in patients experiencing common symptoms of seasonal affective disorder, a form of depression related to a change in seasons.

From Los Angeles Times Mar. 31, 2023

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training