# cortisol

/ˈkɔɹtɪˌsɔɫ/ (US) · /kˈɔːtɪsˌɒl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cortisol
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. the stress hormone

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a natural chemical in your body that increases when you are under pressure or feeling stressed.

For teachers: a glucocorticoid hormone produced by the adrenal glands that mediates metabolic processes and increases in response to physical or psychological stress.

- High levels of cortisol can make it very difficult to get a good night's sleep.
- Chronic elevation of cortisol levels is associated with a range of adverse health outcomes, including impaired immune function and increased abdominal fat storage.

Usage: Uncountable when referring to the hormone generally; countable when referring to specific measurements or types.

Teaching tip: While technically a biological term, it is now common in general health and wellness discussions to describe the physical effects of stress.

### 2. slang for stress

noun · CEFR C2 · Informal · Slang

a modern way to talk about feeling stressed or anxious.

For teachers: a metonymic use where the name of the hormone represents the state of stress or anxiety itself.

- My cortisol is so high right now because of all these deadlines.
- The constant notifications on her phone were spiking her cortisol throughout the entire workday.

Usage: Often used with verbs like 'spike', 'raise', or 'lower' in a non-medical context.

Teaching tip: This usage is very common in social media and 'wellness' culture to describe a general feeling of being overwhelmed.

## Examples

- Stressful situations cause your body to release cortisol.
- High levels of cortisol in the morning help wake you up, but chronic stress can keep these levels elevated throughout the day.
- Researchers measured salivary cortisol concentrations to determine whether the mindfulness intervention effectively lowered the participants' physiological stress responses during the high-stakes testing period.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.