Meaning & use
Pathologically
Last updated
In a way that is caused by or relates to disease, or, more broadly, to an extreme and compulsive degree.
See it in a sentence
He is pathologically afraid of germs, washing his hands dozens of times a day.
The tumor was examined pathologically to determine whether it was cancerous.
A note on using this word
In everyday speech, "pathologically" has drifted from its strict medical sense to describe any extreme, seemingly irrational behavior, as in a "pathological liar."
Words with a similar meaning
compulsivelyobsessively
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Words with an opposite meaning
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