as in illness
unusual or excessive concern about your health; a tendency to fear or imagine that you have illnesses that you do not actually have
She fueled her hypochondria by reading articles about rare diseases.
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Recent Examples of hypochondria
In the fall, the nonprofit theatre company will stage The Imaginary Invalid, a 17th-century comedy about hypochondria, reimagined by the actor and clown, Bill Irwin, and directed by Brandon Dirden, who appeared on Broadway in this season’s Waiting For Godot.
—
Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
In fact, contrary to popular opinion, studies show that singletons are not at significantly higher risk of developing adverse personality traits like narcissism or hypochondria.
—Cynthia Hanson, Parents, 17 Feb. 2026
Jenner joined Owen Thiele on the January 9 edition of his podcast, In Your Dreams, where their conversation ranged from her first modeling jobs and growing up famous, to her hypochondria, anxiety, and beauty regimen.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 9 Jan. 2026
Illness Anxiety Disorder Colloquially, a constant concern for health is known as hypochondria.
—Sean Mowbray, Discover Magazine, 20 Jan. 2025
Referrals to mental health professionals who treat hypochondria with cognitive behavioral therapy or medications the Food and Drug Administration has approved for treating hypochondria will create a realistic approach to addressing and validating people living with hypochondria.
—Hal Rosenbluth, STAT, 17 June 2024
She’s got your backs, opening with the moment her own lifelong, free-range hypochondria probably began — when a sweet high school classmate suddenly died of Hodgkin’s disease.
—Joan Frank, BostonGlobe.com, 11 May 2023
Tindaro’s perfect pedigree as an eligible bachelor is undermined by his insufferable attitude, rampant hypochondria, and blunt disdain for women.
—Breanna Bell, Variety, 14 Dec. 2022
Early on, many doctors, predictably, dismissed these cases as the result of anxiety or hypochondria.
—Meghan O'Rourke, The Atlantic, 8 Mar. 2021
Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
In fact, contrary to popular opinion, studies show that singletons are not at significantly higher risk of developing adverse personality traits like narcissism or hypochondria.
—Cynthia Hanson, Parents, 17 Feb. 2026
Jenner joined Owen Thiele on the January 9 edition of his podcast, In Your Dreams, where their conversation ranged from her first modeling jobs and growing up famous, to her hypochondria, anxiety, and beauty regimen.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 9 Jan. 2026
Illness Anxiety Disorder Colloquially, a constant concern for health is known as hypochondria.
—Sean Mowbray, Discover Magazine, 20 Jan. 2025
Referrals to mental health professionals who treat hypochondria with cognitive behavioral therapy or medications the Food and Drug Administration has approved for treating hypochondria will create a realistic approach to addressing and validating people living with hypochondria.
—Hal Rosenbluth, STAT, 17 June 2024
She’s got your backs, opening with the moment her own lifelong, free-range hypochondria probably began — when a sweet high school classmate suddenly died of Hodgkin’s disease.
—Joan Frank, BostonGlobe.com, 11 May 2023
Tindaro’s perfect pedigree as an eligible bachelor is undermined by his insufferable attitude, rampant hypochondria, and blunt disdain for women.
—Breanna Bell, Variety, 14 Dec. 2022
Early on, many doctors, predictably, dismissed these cases as the result of anxiety or hypochondria.
—Meghan O'Rourke, The Atlantic, 8 Mar. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hypochondria
Noun
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Gauff battled an apparent illness during the Madrid Open, even taking a medical timeout in the Round of 32 over the weekend.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
30 Apr. 2026
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Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency can include fatigue, muscle weakness, frequent illness and low mood.—
Allison Palmer,
Kansas City Star,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The proposal would burden doctors with giving parents a highly detailed consent statement to be prepared by boards of medicine and osteopathic medicine, and forbid health authorities to order vaccinations during outbreaks of familiar or new deadly diseases.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
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Overall, about half of children with the disease are infected during birth, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia said, while others caught it from family members.—
Cara Lynn Shultz,
PEOPLE,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Incoming college freshmen are easy targets for people looking to profit from anxiety about loneliness, which the former US Surgeon General called an epidemic.—
Mary Frances Ruskell,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2026
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Maygen says Paisley has struggled with anxiety ever since being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 2 years old.—
Nicki Cox,
PEOPLE,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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City officials did not immediately respond to a question Thursday afternoon about whether any bacterial sickness in humans had been reported.—
Caelyn Pender,
Mercury News,
30 Apr. 2026
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The turmoil within the Star Wars fandom, in Carano’s telling, is a microcosm of a broader sickness.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hypochondria.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hypochondria. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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