misophonia

[ mees-oh-foh-nee-uh ]

noun

1. Psychiatry. a condition characterized by extreme sensitivity and reactivity to specific, typically repetitive and relatively soft sounds, as breathing, chewing, swallowing, clicking, etc.:

   In patients with misophonia, an auditory stimulus provoked an immediate physical reaction, with anger, disgust, and sometimes even impulsive aggression.

Other Words From

• mis·o·phon·ic [mees-oh-, fon, -ik, -, foh, nik], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of misophonia¹

miso- ( def ) + Greek -phōnia ( -phony ( def ) ); coined by audiologists Pawel J. and Margaret M. Jastreboff in 2001

Example Sentences

I’m not sure if you’re dealing with misophonia or if you’re just otherwise sensitive to sounds but I’m not sure there’s much you can do about this.

From New York Times

I live with someone who has misophonia, and there are certain sounds she simply cannot tolerate, through no fault of her own.

From New York Times

Sara Anne Hawkins, a licensed marriage and family therapist in Minneapolis, said that three of her young clients recently told her they have misophonia, a condition that can make people feel rage upon hearing other people’s sounds, like chewing or breathing.

From New York Times

Misophonia: Can’t stand the sound of someone chewing?

From New York Times

In particular, she helps people deal with the challenges of misophonia, a condition whereby certain noises can trigger a strongly negative emotional response.

From BBC