PTSD

American

[pee-tee-es-dee] / ˈpiˈtiˈɛsˈdi /

abbreviation

post-traumatic stress disorder: a mental disorder occurring after an extremely distressing, stressful, or frightening event and characterized by symptoms such as reliving the event, avoidance of anything that is a reminder of the event, withdrawal from social interactions or previous activities, and an increase in feelings of anxiety, anger, sadness, shame, or guilt.

PTSD British

abbreviation

post-traumatic stress disorder

"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

Compare meaning

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shell shock vs. PTSD

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.

The changes stemmed in part from a desire to help disabled veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with conditions such as PTSD.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

Lead author Dr. Jack Wilson from the University of Sydney's Matilda Centre said the results raise serious questions about approving medicinal cannabis for conditions like anxiety, depression, and PTSD.

From Science Daily • Mar. 20, 2026

For people carrying this factor in PTSD, the task of integration, of sitting with and holding what we’ve done, is far more challenging.

From Slate • Mar. 16, 2026

He said that Baird had been diagnosed as possibly having PTSD, having witnessed and suffered from armed car-jacking incidents in South Africa.

From BBC • Feb. 24, 2026

Dad said she had post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.

From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023