Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

hyperacusis

American  
[hahy-per-uh-kyoo-sis] / haɪ pər əˈkju sɪs /

noun

  1. a disorder characterized by hearing everyday sounds at an increased and often painful volume.


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:

I suffer from a condition called hyperacusis, where loud noises can cause ear pain lasting for days or even weeks.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 28, 2025

She was diagnosed with severe tinnitus and hyperacusis - a reduced tolerance to sound - and began to spend a lot of time in the woods near her home in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire.

From BBC Apr. 21, 2024

And don’t aggravate the artist’s hyperacusis, a hearing disorder in which ordinary sounds can be painful, and the reason that Merritt switched from guitar to ukulele and Gonson from drums to piano.

From The New Yorker Jun. 11, 2018

I think the word is hyperacusis, which is extreme sensitivity, and it’s the stage before tinnitus.

From The Verge Jun. 1, 2018

Then we come to that apparent contradiction in terms, hyperacusis, where loud and therefore audible noises, like drums, instead of being welcome are truly painful.

From The Guardian Sep. 7, 2010

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

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

Start training