constipation
Americannoun
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a condition of the bowels in which the feces are dry and hardened and evacuation is difficult and infrequent.
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Informal. a state of slowing down, sluggishness, or inactivity.
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Obsolete. the act of crowding anything into a smaller compass; condensation.
noun
Etymology
Origin of constipation
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English constipacioun, from Middle French, from Late Latin constīpātiōn-, stem of constīpātiō; equivalent to constipate + -ion
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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.
GLP-1 users, she added, have also gravitated toward fiber to help deal with constipation, a common side effect of those medications.
From MarketWatch • May 10, 2026
"Jasper," a man with severe constipation who passes away in the sweltering waiting room, first appears in the season’s opening episode, and can later be glimpsed shedding layers of clothing.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026
In animal studies, the molecule reduced appetite and body weight while avoiding several common side effects such as nausea, constipation, and muscle loss.
From Science Daily • Apr. 12, 2026
Between 40 and 70 percent of patients on these drugs report gastrointestinal adverse effects, like acid reflux, chronic diarrhea, and/or constipation.
From Slate • Mar. 22, 2026
“But enough about me. Something tells me you aren’t here to enjoy yourself. Unless, in your old age, this look of constipation has become your natural expression. Honestly, I can’t tell.”
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
