hypertensive
C1Medical/Technical, Formal
Definition
Meaning
Having abnormally high blood pressure.
A person suffering from high blood pressure; (more loosely) exhibiting or causing tension or stress.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a medical adjective, often used as a noun to refer to a patient. The figurative use to mean 'tense' or 'stress-inducing' is rare and typically stylized.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. British English may show a slightly stronger preference for the noun form 'hypertensive' (a patient) over the phrase 'hypertensive patient' compared to AmE, but both are standard.
Connotations
Identical medical connotations. The word is neutral and clinical in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally common in medical contexts in both varieties. Low frequency in general everyday language.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[be/become] hypertensive[a/the] hypertensive (patient)hypertensive [crisis/medication/disorder]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Common in medical, biological, and public health research papers.
Everyday
Used when discussing personal or family health conditions. 'My father is a hypertensive.'
Technical
The primary domain. Used in diagnosis, pharmacology, cardiology, and clinical guidelines.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- Patients with a persistently high reading are considered hypertensive.
- The new guidelines changed the definition of a hypertensive emergency.
American English
- She was diagnosed as hypertensive during her annual physical.
- The study focused on hypertensive disorders in pregnancy.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The doctor said I am hypertensive and need to take pills.
- My grandmother is a hypertensive.
- Untreated hypertensive patients are at a much higher risk of stroke.
- The medication successfully lowered his previously hypertensive blood pressure.
- The trial excluded individuals with secondary causes of hypertensive disease.
- A sudden, severe hypertensive crisis requires immediate medical attention to prevent organ damage.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: HYPER (over) + TENSIVE (relating to tension/pressure) = over-pressured.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE BODY IS A PRESSURIZED SYSTEM (where excess pressure is dangerous).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation where 'гипертонический' might be used for non-medical 'high-tension' situations (e.g., 'гипертонический кризис' in politics). English 'hypertensive' is almost exclusively medical.
- Do not confuse with 'hyperactive' (гиперактивный).
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'hyper-tensive' (hyphen is not standard in modern usage).
- Using it as a direct synonym for 'stressed' or 'anxious' in non-medical contexts.
- Incorrect plural: 'hypertensives' (correct) vs. 'hypertensives patients' (redundant; use 'hypertensive patients').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the use of 'hypertensive' LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, commonly in medical contexts to mean 'a person with high blood pressure' (e.g., 'He is a hypertensive').
'Hypertension' is the noun for the medical condition (high blood pressure). 'Hypertensive' is primarily an adjective (describing someone with it) or a noun (a person who has it).
Rarely and only in figurative, stylized writing. Its standard meaning is strictly medical. Use 'stressed', 'tense', or 'pressured' instead.
The direct medical antonym is 'hypotensive' (having abnormally low blood pressure). 'Normotensive' means having normal blood pressure.