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
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
It is called vasovagal syncope, which is more common than conversion disorder.
—Richard Obert, The Arizona Republic, 22 Sep. 2022
After tests and scans, the diagnosis was conversion disorder, her mother, Lindsey, said.
—Richard Obert, The Arizona Republic, 22 Sep. 2022
Rare conditions can also result from stress and trauma, including functional neurological disorder, or conversion disorder, which affects someone’s ability to see, walk or hear — without any medical explanation.
—Washington Post, 17 Dec. 2021
Generations of scientists have tried to understand these bizarre conditions, which have historically been given diverse names, such as hysteria, conversion disorder or psychosomatic illness.
—Diana Kwon, Scientific American, 1 Nov. 2020
Perhaps coincidentally, as Freud's influence in psychiatry faded over the decades, so did cases of conversion disorder—to the point where some viewed it as a bygone ailment of the Victorian era.
—Diana Kwon, Scientific American, 1 Nov. 2020
Coutlress has a conversion disorder that has affected her leg function.
—Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 3 May 2018
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.
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
It is called vasovagal syncope, which is more common than conversion disorder.
—Richard Obert, The Arizona Republic, 22 Sep. 2022
After tests and scans, the diagnosis was conversion disorder, her mother, Lindsey, said.
—Richard Obert, The Arizona Republic, 22 Sep. 2022
Rare conditions can also result from stress and trauma, including functional neurological disorder, or conversion disorder, which affects someone’s ability to see, walk or hear — without any medical explanation.
—Washington Post, 17 Dec. 2021
Generations of scientists have tried to understand these bizarre conditions, which have historically been given diverse names, such as hysteria, conversion disorder or psychosomatic illness.
—Diana Kwon, Scientific American, 1 Nov. 2020
Perhaps coincidentally, as Freud's influence in psychiatry faded over the decades, so did cases of conversion disorder—to the point where some viewed it as a bygone ailment of the Victorian era.
—Diana Kwon, Scientific American, 1 Nov. 2020
Coutlress has a conversion disorder that has affected her leg function.
—Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 3 May 2018
Cite this Entry
“Conversion disorder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conversion%20disorder. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share