conversion disorder

noun

: a psychoneurosis in which bodily symptoms (such as paralysis of the limbs) appear without physical basis

called also conversion hysteria, conversion reaction

Examples of conversion disorder in a Sentence

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.
It’s estimated that 10 to 15 percent of people who will show up in a modern neurologist’s office will be having some type of conversion disorder. The Politics Of Everything, The New Republic, 29 Sep. 2021 There still has been no definitive answer, but most bets are on conversion disorder — a condition in which stress manifests as physical symptoms. Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 7 Oct. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1980, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of conversion disorder was in 1980

Dictionary Entries Near conversion disorder

Cite this Entry

“Conversion disorder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conversion%20disorder. Accessed 10 Jan. 2025.

Medical Definition

conversion disorder

noun
variants also conversion hysteria or conversion reaction
: a psychiatric disorder in which bodily symptoms (as paralysis of the limbs) appear without physical basis and that is typically associated with psychological stress or conflict

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