: a chronic lung disorder that is marked by recurring episodes of airway obstruction (as from bronchospasm) manifested by labored breathing accompanied especially by wheezing and coughing and by a sense of constriction in the chest, and that is triggered by hyperreactivity to various stimuli (such as allergens or rapid change in air temperature)
Examples of asthma in a Sentence
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An uptick in allergies and/or asthma Most people don’t know this, but sleeping is dirty business.
—
Sharon Brandwein, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
This evidence matters as communities and organizations like Comité Cívico del Valle push for projects that can reduce the amount of Salton Sea dust that gets into the air, expand education on asthma management and increase access to health care services.
—Jill Johnston, The Conversation, 3 Apr. 2026
To be clear, the ledger now tallies only what companies pay, not what people lose—the asthma attacks, hospitalizations, shortened lives, or deaths.
—Andrew Behar, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2026
From extreme heat and wildfire smoke to asthma and utility costs, climate change is already impacting our everyday lives.
—Cbs La Staff, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2026
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Sharon Brandwein, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
This evidence matters as communities and organizations like Comité Cívico del Valle push for projects that can reduce the amount of Salton Sea dust that gets into the air, expand education on asthma management and increase access to health care services.
—Jill Johnston, The Conversation, 3 Apr. 2026
To be clear, the ledger now tallies only what companies pay, not what people lose—the asthma attacks, hospitalizations, shortened lives, or deaths.
—Andrew Behar, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2026
From extreme heat and wildfire smoke to asthma and utility costs, climate change is already impacting our everyday lives.
—Cbs La Staff, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for asthma
Cite this Entry
“Asthma.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/asthma. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
asthma
noun
asth·ma
ˈaz-mə 
: a condition that is marked by difficulty in breathing with wheezing, a feeling of tightness in the chest, and coughing
Medical Definition
asthma
noun
asth·ma
ˈaz-mə
: a chronic lung disorder that is marked by recurring episodes of airway obstruction (as from bronchospasm) manifested by labored breathing accompanied especially by wheezing and coughing and by a sense of constriction in the chest, and that is triggered by hyperreactivity to various stimuli (as allergens or rapid change in air temperature)
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