asymptomatic

adjective

asymp·​tom·​at·​ic ˌā-ˌsim(p)-tə-ˈma-tik 

: not causing, marked by, or presenting with signs or symptoms of infection, illness, or disease

asymptomatic carriers of contagious disease

Acute infection is usually asymptomatic, making early diagnosis difficult.

—Francis V. Chisari

Because gonorrhea is often asymptomatic in women, it can progress painlessly until the result is pelvic inflammatory disease with its sequelae of infertility or ectopic pregnancy.

—Marsha F. Goldsmith

Most patients with gallstones remain asymptomatic for many years and may, in fact, never develop symptoms.

—The Journal of the American Medical Association

Many of the fecal samples positive for Giardia were from asymptomatic pets.

—Lawrence M. Fox

asymptomatically

ˌā-ˌsim(p)-tə-ˈma-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

asymptomatically infected children

The virus may be carried asymptomatically.

Examples of asymptomatic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Pain and Other Symptoms Other than the swelling, hydrocele and varicocele can often be asymptomatic (without symptoms). —Josephine Hessert, Verywell Health, 1 Dec. 2024

More than half of people who contract dengue, a viral fever, are asymptomatic. —Randi Richardson, NBC News, 16 Nov. 2024

Most tuberculosis infections are asymptomatic and not contagious. —Chris Morris, Fortune Well, 31 Oct. 2024

And asymptomatic cases of the bird flu appear to be rare, according to a Michigan antibody study described by the CDC on July 19. —Amy Maxmen, CNN, 2 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

asymptomatic

adjective

asymp·​tom·​at·​ic ˌā-ˌsim(p)-tə-ˈmat-ik 

: presenting no signs of disease

Medical Definition

asymptomatic

adjective

asymp·​tom·​at·​ic ˌā-ˌsim(p)-tə-ˈmat-ik 

: not causing, marked by, or presenting with signs or symptoms of infection, illness, or disease

asymptomatic carriers of contagious disease

Decisions regarding the discontinuation of anticoagulation in such patients remain clinically challenging, requiring physicians to weigh the risk of bleeding against the risk of a stroke from asymptomatic arrhythmia.

—Rodney H. Falk, The New England Journal of Medicine

Acute infection is usually asymptomatic, making early diagnosis difficult.

—Francis V. Chisari, Nature

However, 10% to 25% of patients with Barrett's esophagus are completely asymptomatic.

—Scientific American Medicine Bulletin

Red blood cell transfusions for chronic stable anemia in the asymptomatic patient are not clinically beneficial and will unnecessarily increase the patient's risk for infection, immunization to blood antigens, or hemosiderosis.

—The Journal of the American Medical Association

asymptomatically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

asymptomatically infected adults