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
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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The Crossover
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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.
A Russian sailor on a 600-foot tanker told the Journal his crew was down to water and rice, with no medicine to treat his severe hypertension.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026
Minoxidil has been approved to treat hypertension for decades.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 27, 2026
Fried foods are widely enjoyed, but their high fat content is linked to health issues such as obesity and hypertension.
From Science Daily • Apr. 2, 2026
ICE maintains that Ramos-Solano received consistent medical care during his detention, noting he had been diagnosed with diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension upon intake in February and was treated daily for those conditions.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026
According to reports, Bell suffered from hypertension and had three fainting spells in the four months before his collapse.
From "The Crossover" by Kwame Alexander
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.
