altitude sickness
noun
: the effects (such as headache, nausea, or swelling of the brain) of oxygen deficiency in the blood and tissues developed at high altitudes having reduced atmospheric pressure see mountain sickness
Examples of altitude sickness in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Commonly called altitude sickness, the condition can cause nausea, dizziness and fatigue.
—
Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 10 May 2024
Every evening there, the hosts give a safety talk, including advice on how to avoid dehydration, hypothermia and altitude sickness, as well as tips for hitchhiking and river crossings, where, such as in the Sierra Nevada, water can move quickly and threaten to pull hikers downstream.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 May 2024
On Thursday, the Days of Our Lives alum, 50, shared in an Instagram post that he had been hospitalized and diagnosed with altitude sickness after traveling to Colorado for his sons’ spring break vacation.
—Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 15 Mar. 2024
Tips for preventing or reducing the risk of altitude sickness.
—Brian Strickland, Discover Magazine, 9 Mar. 2024
The cast and crew suffered from altitude sickness and the extreme cold conditions.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 22 Feb. 2024
More than 35,000 adventurers attempt the trek every year, with only two-thirds completing it due to altitude sickness and other health problems.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 15 Dec. 2023
Sipping on Peruvian coffee or mate de coca — a beverage made from the leaves of the coca plant (Erythroxylum coca), which abates altitude sickness — visitors on day trips get a glimpse of Uros history, culture and engineering.
—Tim Brinkhof, Discover Magazine, 12 Nov. 2023
How to prevent altitude sickness, and how not to
Can people become immune to altitude sickness?
—Allie Conti, Field & Stream, 27 Sep. 2023
Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 10 May 2024
Every evening there, the hosts give a safety talk, including advice on how to avoid dehydration, hypothermia and altitude sickness, as well as tips for hitchhiking and river crossings, where, such as in the Sierra Nevada, water can move quickly and threaten to pull hikers downstream.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 May 2024
On Thursday, the Days of Our Lives alum, 50, shared in an Instagram post that he had been hospitalized and diagnosed with altitude sickness after traveling to Colorado for his sons’ spring break vacation.
—Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 15 Mar. 2024
Tips for preventing or reducing the risk of altitude sickness.
—Brian Strickland, Discover Magazine, 9 Mar. 2024
The cast and crew suffered from altitude sickness and the extreme cold conditions.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 22 Feb. 2024
More than 35,000 adventurers attempt the trek every year, with only two-thirds completing it due to altitude sickness and other health problems.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 15 Dec. 2023
Sipping on Peruvian coffee or mate de coca — a beverage made from the leaves of the coca plant (Erythroxylum coca), which abates altitude sickness — visitors on day trips get a glimpse of Uros history, culture and engineering.
—Tim Brinkhof, Discover Magazine, 12 Nov. 2023
How to prevent altitude sickness, and how not to
Can people become immune to altitude sickness?
—Allie Conti, Field & Stream, 27 Sep. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'altitude sickness.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Altitude sickness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/altitude%20sickness. Accessed 19 May. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
altitude sickness
noun
al·ti·tude sickness
ˌal-tə-ˌt(y)üd- 
: the effects (as nosebleed, nausea, headache, or cerebral edema) of oxygen deficiency in the blood and tissues developed at high altitudes with reduced atmospheric pressure
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