bedwetting

or bed-wet·ting

[ bed-wet-ing ]

noun

1. urinating in bed, especially habitually and involuntarily; enuresis.
2. Informal: Often Disparaging. exhibition of emotional overreaction, as anxiety or alarm, to events, especially major decisions or outcomes:

   No doubt the executive order will be received by environmentalists with the usual bedwetting.

adjective

1. Informal: Sometimes Disparaging. prone to or exhibiting excessive anxiety or alarm over events, especially major decisions or outcomes; fearful; fretful:

   This station has given bedwetting conspiracy theorists ample airtime.

Word History and Origins

Origin of bedwetting¹

First recorded in 1885–90; bed + wet + -ing ¹ for the verb senses; bed + wet + -ing ² for the adjective sense

Example Sentences

The Biden campaign even hit out at the "bedwetting brigade" who were calling for him to go.

From BBC

In another post, Mr. Axelrod said Mr. Biden has defied conventional wisdom before, “but this will send tremors of doubt through the party — not ‘bedwetting,’ but legitimate concern.”

From Washington Times

Its second edition of “The American Academy of Pediatrics Guide to Toilet Training” can walk you through questions, including when to start, how to deal with bedwetting and how to approach potty training with children with special needs.

From Los Angeles Times

“One of the key topics in the first part of the memoir is Silverman’s struggle with enuresis, or bedwetting, which extended into her teenage years,” the program wrote.

From New York Times

Local psychiatrists said al-Mansi's symptoms were common among many children living in the enclave, who were experiencing lack of sleep, anxiety, bedwetting, as well as a tendency to stay glued to their parents and avoid going outdoors.

From Reuters