pathological
adjective
path·o·log·i·cal
ˌpa-thə-ˈlä-ji-kəl 
variants
or less commonly pathologic
1
: of or relating to pathology
pathological research
A pathological examination led to the diagnosis.
2
: altered or caused by disease
pathological changes in the body
also
: indicative of disease
pathological symptoms
3
: being such to a degree that is extreme, excessive, or markedly abnormal
a pathological liar
pathological fear
Examples of pathological in a Sentence
He is a pathological liar.
She has a pathological fear of heights.
pathological changes in the body
Recent Examples on the Web
The primary endpoint was pathological complete response (pCR) rates, which refers to the absence of detectable cancer cells in tissue samples after treatment and is used to assess how well a treatment has worked.
—
New Atlas, 27 Jan. 2025
These pathological behaviors pit colleagues against each other, creating a hostile environment of instability and chaos that shifts the focus of their toxic behaviour.
—Jason Walker, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
The context of the burial along with the bone marks and the child's pathological condition are indicative of a ritual setting or a ritual practitioner's burial practices.
—Newsweek, 3 Jan. 2025
There is also more than a hint in this go-around that Greg’s constant lying to Pam is something more pathological than protective, yet Stiller and the ever-patient Teri Polo play this compulsion entirely for laughs.
—Sean Malin, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pathological 
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New Atlas, 27 Jan. 2025
These pathological behaviors pit colleagues against each other, creating a hostile environment of instability and chaos that shifts the focus of their toxic behaviour.
—Jason Walker, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
The context of the burial along with the bone marks and the child's pathological condition are indicative of a ritual setting or a ritual practitioner's burial practices.
—Newsweek, 3 Jan. 2025
There is also more than a hint in this go-around that Greg’s constant lying to Pam is something more pathological than protective, yet Stiller and the ever-patient Teri Polo play this compulsion entirely for laughs.
—Sean Malin, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pathological
Dictionary Entries Near pathological
Cite this Entry
“Pathological.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pathological. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
pathological
adjective
patho·log·i·cal
ˌpath-ə-ˈläj-i-kəl
variants
also pathologic
1
: of or relating to pathology
a pathological laboratory
2
: altered or caused by disease
pathological tissue
also
: indicative of disease
pathological lesions
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