What does "syndrome" mean?

1. (medical condition) a group of medical signs and symptoms that always happen together and show that someone has a specific illness. 2. (pattern of behavior) a set of behaviors or feelings that people often show in a specific situation.

How do you use "syndrome"?

Often used with a specific name, such as 'Irritable Bowel Syndrome' or 'Chronic Fatigue Syndrome'. Frequently appears in the structure '[Name] syndrome' to describe a specific social or psychological trend.

syndrome — meaning, definition & examples

Word

01medical condition

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Medicine Technical

n. a group of medical signs and symptoms that always happen together and show that someone has a specific illness.

n. a recognizable pattern of signs and symptoms that characterize a particular disease or medical condition.

“Down syndrome is a genetic condition that affects how a person's body and brain develop.”

“The patient presented with a rare metabolic syndrome that required a multidisciplinary team of specialists to manage effectively.”

Usage

Often used with a specific name, such as 'Irritable Bowel Syndrome' or 'Chronic Fatigue Syndrome'.

Teaching tip

While often used interchangeably with 'disease' by learners, a syndrome refers specifically to the collection of symptoms rather than the cause itself.

Synonyms

disorder condition ailment

02pattern of behavior

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Academic

n. a set of behaviors or feelings that people often show in a specific situation.

n. a predictable set of characteristics or behaviors identifying a certain social or psychological condition, often with a negative connotation.

“Many new employees suffer from 'imposter syndrome' where they feel they are not good enough for the job.”

“The 'tall poppy syndrome' describes a social phenomenon where people are criticized or resented for their high level of success.”

Usage

Frequently appears in the structure '[Name] syndrome' to describe a specific social or psychological trend.

Teaching tip

In non-medical contexts, this word is often used to label a specific social problem or a common psychological struggle.

Synonyms

pattern complex phenomenon

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “syndrome” in context.

Verb

01. diagnose the syndrome

“Medical professionals often find it difficult to diagnose the syndrome due to its overlapping symptoms.”

verb + noun

02. exhibit the syndrome

“The test subjects began to exhibit the syndrome after three weeks of sleep deprivation.”

verb + noun

03. suffer from the syndrome

“Many patients who suffer from the syndrome report chronic fatigue and joint pain.”

verb + prep + noun

Adjective

04. congenital syndrome

“Early intervention is crucial for children born with this specific congenital syndrome.”

adj + noun

05. debilitating syndrome

“The patient struggled to maintain a job while dealing with such a debilitating syndrome.”

adj + noun

06. rare syndrome

“She was born with a rare syndrome that affects the development of her connective tissues.”

adj + noun

Noun

07. onset of the syndrome

“Doctors are investigating whether environmental factors triggered the rapid onset of the syndrome.”

noun + of + noun

08. symptoms of the syndrome

“The primary symptoms of the syndrome include sudden memory loss and disorientation.”

noun + of + noun

“The government estimates that around a third of funding for people with Down Syndrome is spent on social funding.”

BBC News 12 Aug 2026

“These two major autism risk genes are also connected to Phelan-McDermid syndrome and other neurodevelopmental disorders.”

ScienceDaily 7 Aug 2026

“According to the CDC , time, and not additional antibiotics, is needed to overcome the syndrome.”

Smithsonian Magazine 31 Jul 2026

Learned borrowing from New Latin syndrome, from Ancient Greek συνδρομή (sundromḗ, “concurrence of symptoms, concourse”), from σύνδρομος (súndromos, “running together”), from συν- (sun-, “with”) + δρόμος (drómos, “running, course”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

condition disorder complex pattern