generalized anxiety disorder

noun

: an anxiety disorder marked by chronic excessive anxiety and worry that is difficult to control, causes distress or impairment in daily functioning, and is accompanied by three or more associated symptoms (such as restlessness, irritability, poor concentration, and sleep disturbances)
—abbreviation GAD

Examples of generalized anxiety disorder in a Sentence

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People with other medical fears like germaphobia, or with anxiety disorders such as OCD or generalized anxiety disorder, may also be more likely to develop it. — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 8 Oct. 2026 Risk factors include traumatic needle experiences, a family history of needle fear and anxiety disorders such as OCD or generalized anxiety disorder. — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026 Nearly a third of adults with major depressive disorder fail to respond to at least two antidepressants, and half of people treated for generalized anxiety disorder do not respond to first-line treatments, studies show. — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026 Definium Therapeutics said Wednesday that its LSD therapy significantly helped patients with generalized anxiety disorder in the first of two large trials. — Jason Mast, STAT, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for generalized anxiety disorder

Word History

First Known Use

1978, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of generalized anxiety disorder was in 1978

Rhymes for generalized anxiety disorder

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generalized anxiety disorder
generalized coordinate
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Cite this Entry

“Generalized anxiety disorder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/generalized%20anxiety%20disorder. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Medical Definition

generalized anxiety disorder

noun
: an anxiety disorder marked by chronic excessive anxiety and worry that is difficult to control, causes distress or impairment in daily functioning, and is accompanied by three or more associated symptoms (as restlessness, irritability, poor concentration, and sleep disturbances)
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