hypertension
Americannoun
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Pathology.
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elevation of the blood pressure, especially the diastolic pressure.
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an arterial disease characterized by this condition.
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excessive or extreme emotional tenseness.
noun
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Abnormally high blood pressure, especially in the arteries. High blood pressure increases the risk for heart attack and stroke.
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Also called high blood pressure
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of hypertension
Explanation
If you've got hypertension, you've got high blood pressure, and you're likely to be on medication to bring it down to a safe level. Hyper- is a prefix that means "over" or "beyond" — if you're hyper you're wildly energetic. Tension means "stretching" or "straining." Hypertension, therefore, means "straining beyond." With hypertension, your blood pressure is abnormally high, causing a strain on your blood vessels. This condition can result in serious health problems, such as heart attack and stroke.
Vocabulary lists containing hypertension
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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.
According to Civello, the next wave — in which wearables can detect conditions like atrial fibrillation, hypertension and sleep apnea — is happening now.
From MarketWatch • May 28, 2026
"Despite these limitations, the findings of this meta-analysis have major public health implications, given the alarming global increase in hypertension prevalence," they wrote.
From Science Daily • May 26, 2026
Lewis died of coronary artery disease and hypertension.
From BBC • May 20, 2026
Around 31% of adults have hypertension, and about half do not realize they have it.
From Science Daily • May 18, 2026
He suffers from hypertension and was also seen at the clinic for malaria.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
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.
