bipolar disorder

noun

: any of several psychological disorders of mood characterized usually by alternating episodes of depression and mania

called also bipolar illness, manic depression

Examples of bipolar disorder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Bonobos co-founder and then-CEO was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at age 20. —Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 21 Mar. 2025

Joseph Awuah-Darko, a British-Ghanaian artist, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and has documented his decades-long battle with mental health on social media. —Vanessa Etienne, People.com, 14 Mar. 2025

The flip side was mood swings, which Mical, who is now a nurse, thinks could have been diagnosed as bipolar disorder. —Mark Sundeen, Outside Online, 7 Jan. 2025

People with a history of seizure disorders, liver issues, bipolar disorder, or pernicious anemia should consult with their doctor before taking a methylated multivitamin. —Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 7 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bipolar disorder

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

Kids Definition

bipolar disorder

noun

: any of several psychological disorders of mood characterized by alternating episodes of depression and mania

Medical Definition

bipolar disorder

noun

: any of several mood disorders characterized usually by alternating episodes of depression and mania

Note: The mania experienced in bipolar disorder may be of the euphoric or irritable type or both.

called also bipolar affective disorder, bipolar illness, manic depression, manic-depressive illness

compare major depressive disorder