What does "schizophrenia" mean?
A psychiatric diagnosis denoting a persistent, often chronic, mental illness characterised by abnormal perception, thinking, behavior and emotion, often marked by delusions.
Schizophrenia
/ˌskɪtsəˈfɹiniə/ noun, slang
noun, slang ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A psychiatric diagnosis denoting a persistent, often chronic, mental illness characterised by abnormal perception, thinking, behavior and emotion, often marked by delusions.
- Grammar: schizophrenia is listed as noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: dementia praecox, schizophrenic disorder, schizophrenic psychosis, alternating personality.
- Useful contrasts: normal mental state, sanity.
- Usage evidence: One of the symptoms of schizophrenia is pathological attention to detail, so I feel comforted when I forget a few commas.
How to use "schizophrenia"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "schizophrenia" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "schizophrenia" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "schizophrenia" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "schizophrenia" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
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- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "schizophrenia" is acting as noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "dementia praecox" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
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When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A psychiatric diagnosis denoting a persistent, often chronic, mental illness characterised by abnormal perception, thinking, behavior and emotion, often marked by delusions. countable, uncountable
"Increasing data suggests that regular marijuana use in adolescence may also be a risk factor for developing very serious psychotic disorders, especially schizophrenia."
- 2 any of several psychotic disorders characterized by distortions of reality and disturbances of thought and language and withdrawal from social contact wordnet
- 3 A condition in which a person is supposed to have several distinct personalities; dissociative identity disorder. countable, proscribed, uncountable
"You have enough money to afford schizophrenia for a while. Especially if the personality B dreams up things that personality A makes practical, financially advantageous use of."
- 4 Any condition in which disparate or mutually exclusive activities coexist; a lack of decision between options. countable, figuratively, informal, uncountable
"[O]ne can understand how the cultural disorientation which beset the African Continent has confused Africa's political behaviour, creating a political schizophrenia that made nation-building impossible."
Synonyms
All synonyms dementia praecoxschizophrenic disorderschizophrenic psychosisalternating personalitybrain diseasecatatonia
Antonyms
normal mental statesanity
Example
"One of the symptoms of schizophrenia is pathological attention to detail, so I feel comforted when I forget a few commas."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "schizophrenia"?
Common synonyms include: dementia praecox, schizophrenic disorder, schizophrenic psychosis, alternating personality, brain disease, catatonia.
How do you use "schizophrenia" in a sentence?
One of the symptoms of schizophrenia is pathological attention to detail, so I feel comforted when I forget a few commas.
How do you pronounce "schizophrenia"?
Pronounced /ˌskɪtsəˈfɹiniə/.
Etymology
From German Schizophrenie (coined by Eugen Bleuler), from Ancient Greek σχίζω (skhízō, “to split”) + φρήν (phrḗn, “mind, heart, diaphragm”) + English -ia. A combination of schizo- + -phrenia.