hyperactive

adjective

hy·​per·​ac·​tive ˌhī-pər-ˈak-tiv How to pronounce hyperactive (audio)
1
: affected with or exhibiting hyperactivity
broadly : more active than is usual or desirable
2
: intricately or elaborately designed or detailed
hyperactive noun

Examples of hyperactive in a Sentence

the skyrocketing price of oil resulted in a wildly fluctuating, hyperactive stock market hyperactive children who are in dire need of a guardian with a firm hand
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Manage Play Styles Excitable, high-energy play indoors can lead to more hyperactive behavior. Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 July 2025 The interior Northwest and North Central U.S. will experience the greatest heat, bringing with it continued amounts of drought and a potentially hyperactive wildfire season. Renny Vandewege, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025 There are two main kinds of A.D.H.D., inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive, and children in one category often seem to have little in common with children in the other. Paul Tough Eric Jason Martin Krish Seenivasan Brian St. Pierre, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2025 Girls may, for example, struggle with time management, daydreaming or being a chatterbox and are more likely to be diagnosed with the primarily inattentive type of ADHD over the hyperactive type. Daliah Singer, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for hyperactive

Word History

First Known Use

1867, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hyperactive was in 1867

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Cite this Entry

“Hyperactive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hyperactive. Accessed 2 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

hyperactive

adjective
hy·​per·​ac·​tive ˌhī-pər-ˈak-tiv How to pronounce hyperactive (audio)
: very active especially to an abnormal amount
hyperactivity
-ak-ˈtiv-ət-ē
noun

Medical Definition

hyperactive

1 of 2 adjective
hy·​per·​ac·​tive ˌhī-pə-ˈrak-tiv How to pronounce hyperactive (audio)
: affected with or exhibiting hyperactivity
Scientists suspect in certain genetically susceptible people, the immune cells remain hyperactive long after the infectious agent has been cleared from the body.Kathy Fackelmann, Science News
A growing number of parents suspect that the powerful stimulant Ritalin—long prescribed for its paradoxically tranquilizing effect on hyperactive children—has become a convenience for teachers seeking quiet classrooms …David Gates. Newsweek
broadly : more active than is usual or desirable

hyperactive

2 of 2 noun
: an individual who is hyperactive

More from Merriam-Webster on hyperactive

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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