Synonyms

bipolar disorder

American

noun

Psychiatry.

an affective disorder characterized by periods of mania alternating with periods of depression, usually interspersed with relatively long intervals of normal mood.

bipolar disorder British

noun

a mental health problem characterized by an alternation between extreme euphoria and deep depression

"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

bipolar disorder Scientific

Any of several mood disorders usually characterized by periods of depression that alternate with mania.

bipolar disorder Cultural

Also known as manic-depressive illness. This psychiatric disorder is marked by periods of euphoric (manic) highs often followed by periods of depression.

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.

He attributed his controversial behaviour to a "manic episode" brought on by bipolar disorder.

From Barron's • Apr. 20, 2026

He added that as a result of his bipolar disorder, he had "lost touch with reality".

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

He issued an apology for the scandals in January, taking out a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal that attributed his behavior to his bipolar disorder.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

The ad—couched in the form of a letter “to those I hurt”—said he was “deeply mortified” by his actions, which he blamed on his bipolar disorder.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

They weren't partial or biased, just very persuasive in detailing how organic brain damage, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder can conspire to create severe mental impairment.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023