parasympathetic

1 of 2

adjective

para·​sym·​pa·​thet·​ic ˌper-ə-ˌsim-pə-ˈthe-tik How to pronounce parasympathetic (audio)
ˌpa-rə-
: of, relating to, being, or acting on the parasympathetic nervous system

parasympathetic

2 of 2

noun

1
: a parasympathetic nerve
2
: parasympathetic nervous system

Examples of parasympathetic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
That is the opposite of the parasympathetic state your body needs to reach deep, restorative sleep. — Allison Palmer, Charlotte Observer, 26 Mar. 2026 Heart rate dropped, systolic blood pressure fell and heart rate variability rose, which are direct, measurable signs of a parasympathetic shift. — Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 23 May 2026
Noun
But purposeful breathing can trigger your parasympathetic system, or the part of your autonomic nervous system that opposes the fight-flight-freeze response. — Emily Shiffer, SELF, 3 Nov. 2020 Parasympathetic has two other states though- the rest and digest and according to the Polyvagal Theory, the ventral vagal branch of the parasympathetic which is social engagement. — Womensmedia, Forbes, 15 Apr. 2021 See All Example Sentences for parasympathetic

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

Adjective

1905, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1916, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of parasympathetic was in 1905

Phrases Containing parasympathetic

Rhymes for parasympathetic

See All Rhymes for parasympathetic

Browse Nearby Words

Parasuchia
parasympathetic
parasympathetic nervous system
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Parasympathetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/parasympathetic. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

parasympathetic

adjective
para·​sym·​pa·​thet·​ic
ˌpar-ə-ˌsim-pə-ˈthet-ik
: of, relating to, being, or acting on the parasympathetic nervous system

Medical Definition

parasympathetic

1 of 2 adjective
para·​sym·​pa·​thet·​ic ˌpar-ə-ˌsim-pə-ˈthet-ik How to pronounce parasympathetic (audio)
: of, relating to, being, or acting on the parasympathetic nervous system
parasympathetic fibers of the vascular wall
parasympathetic drugs

parasympathetic

2 of 2 noun
1
: a parasympathetic nerve
this sacral group of parasympathetics supplies fibers to the external genitalia—A. C. Guyton
2
: parasympathetic nervous system
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