aneurysm

noun

an·​eu·​rysm ˈan-yə-ˌri-zəm 

variants or less commonly aneurism

: an abnormal blood-filled bulge of a blood vessel and especially an artery resulting from weakening (as from disease) of the vessel wall

aneurysmal

ˌan-yə-ˈriz-məl 

adjective

Examples of aneurysm in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Zhao and her colleagues think the untethered, robotic version of the milli-spinner will be able to swim directly inside blood vessels to treat blood clots, brain aneurysms, kidney stones, and other conditions. —Ani Freedman, Fortune, 27 June 2025

More Entertainment: 'Criminal Minds: Evolution' Season 18 Debuts May 8: Full List of Episodes What Happened to Will in 'Criminal Minds: Evolution' Fans were completely caught off guard in Episode 2 when Will LaMontagne Jr. surprisingly died from an aneurysm in front of JJ, his wife. —Jeremy Hanna, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 May 2025

High cholesterol can also weaken arterial walls, increasing the risk of an aneurysm—a bulging, weakened area in an artery. —Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 24 Jan. 2025

When journalist and photographer Sheila Turner Seed died suddenly of a brain aneurysm at the age of 42 in 1978, her husband, photographer Brian Seed, was left to raise their 18-month-old daughter Rachel Elizabeth Seed alone. —Eliza Berman, Time, 26 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Greek aneurysma, from aneurynein to dilate, from ana- + eurynein to stretch, from eurys wide — more at eury-

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for aneurysm

• alyssum
• cataclysm

Medical Definition

aneurysm

noun

an·​eu·​rysm

variants also aneurism

ˈan-yə-ˌriz-əm 

: an abnormal blood-filled dilatation of a blood vessel and especially an artery resulting from disease of the vessel wall

aneurysmal adjective

also aneurismal

ˌan-yə-ˈriz-məl 

aneurysmally

-ē 

adverb