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Showing results for neurasthenia. Search instead for neuromyasthenia.
Synonyms

neurasthenia

American  
[noor-uhs-thee-nee-uh, nyoor-] / ˌnʊər əsˈθi ni ə, ˌnyʊər- /

noun

  1. Psychiatry. (not in technical use) nervous debility and exhaustion occurring in the absence of objective causes or lesions; nervous exhaustion.


neurasthenia British  
/ ˌnjʊərəsˈθɛnɪk, ˌnjʊərəsˈθiːnɪə /

noun

  1. an obsolete technical term for a neurosis characterized by extreme lassitude and inability to cope with any but the most trivial tasks

"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

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of neurasthenia

First recorded in 1855–60; neur- + asthenia

Vocabulary lists containing neurasthenia

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.

When he reached 20, he had literally burned out his adrenal glands and fell into a state of adrenal fatigue, or "neurasthenia" as two American 19th century neurologists had named it.

From New York Times • Oct. 2, 2017

Contra Burroughs, I see not so much a virus present as I do a kind of Americanitis, à la William James’ neurasthenia.

From Salon • Dec. 30, 2015

Stranger still were the medical ads that offered electric shock treatment to "cure" neurasthenia - a term encompassing a range of nervous complaints including shell shock.

From BBC • Dec. 9, 2014

"But with Wagner, the danger became specifically associated with modern music and modern urban lifestyles in diagnosing the fashionable disease of the time, neurasthenia."

From The Guardian • May 22, 2013

Another loss: his eyes provided him with only half a view of the world, and reading caused his neurasthenia to flare up and made his temples throb.

From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson

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