WordValehypertension
abnormally high blood pressure
In more detail
1. (noun) abnormally high blood pressure, especially when it is a persistent medical condition
2. (noun) a state of extreme tension or stress
Examples
- 1. Her doctor prescribed medication to manage her hypertension.
- 2. The political situation was marked by hypertension between the two parties.
How to use hypertension
Hypertension in its primary medical sense refers to persistently high blood pressure, typically diagnosed when readings exceed 130/80 mmHg. The secondary sense of extreme psychological tension is less common in everyday usage but appears in more literary or formal writing; in casual speech, people tend to use 'stress' or 'tension' instead. The medical sense is the dominant and standard use.
Common phrases
- chronic hypertension
- suffer from hypertension
- manage hypertension
- hypertension medication
- stage 2 hypertension
- uncontrolled hypertension
Synonyms
high blood pressure · elevated blood pressure · tension · stress
Opposites
hypotension · low blood pressure
Word family
hypertensive (adjective/noun) · hypertensively (adverb)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes treat the psychological sense as equivalent to ordinary stress or anxiety, but hypertension in that context implies an acute, heightened state rather than mild nervousness.
Save this word in WordVale and it comes back for review right before you'd forget it — with pronunciation, real examples, and optional translations. One purchase, no subscription.
Get WordValeFREE 7-DAY TRIAL · iPHONE & iPAD