attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

noun

variants or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

: a developmental disorder that is marked especially by persistent symptoms of inattention (such as distractibility, forgetfulness, or disorganization) or by symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity (such as fidgeting, speaking out of turn, or restlessness) or by symptoms of all three and that is not caused by any serious underlying physical or mental disorder

Note: Symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder range from mild to severe and always interfere with normal development and daily functioning, though hyperactivity and impulsivity are not always present as symptoms. A diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder typically requires that symptoms be present by the age of 12 and in more than one setting (such as both home and school). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder may persist into adulthood, creating difficulties in one's occupation or social relationships.

called also attention deficit disorder

—abbreviation ADHD

Examples of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

However, some students may struggle with explicit phonics instruction, particularly the growing population of neurodivergent learners with autism spectrum disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. —K. Dara Hill, The Conversation, 24 Apr. 2025

For The 1st Time — At Lower Prices For example, as recently as 2013 it was considered impossible to have both attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism. —Alison Escalante, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025

The challenges faced by those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder can be daunting. —Christina Caron, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025

The teen was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and oppositional defiant disorder and was believed to be autistic, according to court papers. —Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 24 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1987, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

• boarder
• border
• corder
• order
• warder
• camcorder
• recorder
• reorder
• suborder
• transborder

Medical Definition

attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

noun

variants or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

: a developmental disorder that is marked especially by persistent symptoms of inattention (such as distractibility, forgetfulness, or disorganization) or by symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity (such as fidgeting, speaking out of turn, or restlessness) or by symptoms of all three and that is not caused by any serious underlying physical or mental disorder

Note: Symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder range from mild to severe and always interfere with normal development and daily functioning, though hyperactivity and impulsivity are not always present as symptoms. A diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder typically requires that symptoms be present by the age of 12 and in more than one setting (such as both home and school). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder may persist into adulthood, creating difficulties in one's occupation or social relationships.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is generally considered as a childhood disorder. … However, ADHD symptoms in adulthood can present in numerous ways, such as restlessness, difficulty in relaxing, and dysphoria, whereas attention deficits may manifest as a lack of concentration regarding details, forgetting appointments, and a failure to plan and organize activities and work.

—Michael Rösler et al., The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder … has become a common diagnosis in the United States, with reported rates in school-aged boys and girls of approximately 10% and 4%, respectively …

—Lydia Furman, Journal of Childhood Neurology

Discoveries in neuroscience are reinforcing a growing consensus that attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder … is not just a set of behavior problems but a biologically based disorder of brain function. The symptoms of impulsiveness, inattentiveness, and hyperactivity arise, this research suggests, because misfiring of the brain's executive function—its management system— make it difficult to stay still, concentrate, and exercise forethought and self-control.

—Harvard Mental Health Letter

called also attention deficit disorder

—abbreviation ADHD