How to Use separation anxiety in a Sentence

separation anxiety

noun
  • Golden retrievers are well known for their deep bonds with their owners, often showing signs of separation anxiety or reluctance when left alone.
    — Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
  • But many lonely and anxious dogs will also howl, especially those with separation anxiety.
    — Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Oct. 2025
  • The loud and sometimes chaotic environment can be too much for some, especially for dogs with separation anxiety.
    — Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Studies have found that those pups who complete training are less likely to be nervous, have separation anxiety, or develop bad behavioral habits.
    — Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Students with high levels of separation anxiety often have low levels of distress tolerance.
    — Eric Wood, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
  • Sundem says the simple ritual helped ease the separation anxiety, especially for her youngest daughter.
    — Ashlea Halpern, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 June 2026
  • About 89 percent of pet parents in New Hampshire felt travel separation anxiety was a key stressor.
    — Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025
  • The organization recommended owners rule out problems such as separation anxiety, which can cause dogs to chew intensely when left alone.
    — Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
  • Built for the most powerful chewers, this ultra-strong Kong Store toy is perfect for stuffing with treats to relieve boredom and separation anxiety.
    — Nora Colomer May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2025
  • Positive reinforcement is key, and owners should be aware of the breed’s tendency toward separation anxiety.
    — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Seeking help to reduce separation anxiety can result in many students staying in school as well as better enjoying their college experiences.
    — Eric Wood, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
  • The volume and nature of the meows immediately struck a nerve with viewers, who recognized the sound of separation anxiety and loneliness.
    — Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Canines with high energy or separation anxiety may chew destructively as a coping mechanism.
    — Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Sep. 2025
  • Sometimes when that foundation is not built, a child develops an anxious attachment, which can lead to challenging behavior like separation anxiety.
    — Sherri Gordon, Parents, 22 Feb. 2026
  • As stated, separation anxiety is not predicated on a specific campus, meaning that these struggles are likely to occur whenever student leaves home.
    — Eric Wood, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
  • Though incoming students might feel embarrassed by their struggles with separation anxiety, many counseling centers have services designed to reduce these struggles.
    — Eric Wood, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
  • Young children often complain of physical symptoms such as stomachaches, develop separation anxiety, and regress to earlier behaviors like bed-wetting.
    — Claudia Boyd-Barrett, CBS News, 18 June 2026
  • However, the concept of separation anxiety is vastly different from homesickness.
    — Eric Wood, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
  • Thelma struggled badly with separation anxiety.
    — Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
  • Bruno, the tiny Frenchie staring at me through the café’s window, suffered from extreme separation anxiety, I was told—which was impressive, given how quickly his owner separated from me.
    — Eileen Kelly, Vogue, 4 Feb. 2026
  • Researchers recruited 12 dogs with no history of separation anxiety for the experiment.
    — Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
  • Bain added that separation anxiety can be eased or prevented by gradually teaching canines to feel safe when alone, using enrichment such as toys or food puzzles, playing calming background noise, and keeping departures low-key.
    — Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
  • As explained in a 2007 study in the Journal of Psychology, there was a time when symptoms of separation anxiety were rarely considered for college students.
    — Eric Wood, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
  • Changes in the home environment, such as a new routine, unfamiliar people or animals, or extended periods of being alone, can lead to stress or separation anxiety, both of which may increase vocalization.
    — Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
  • This highly dependent dog breed can be clingy, constantly seeking interactions and often experiencing separation anxiety.
    — Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Reasons for dogs to start barking include illness or injury, territorial response, acting as an alarm, attention seeking, greeting, compulsive, frustration or separation anxiety.
    — Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
  • Even without a formal diagnosis, intense separation anxiety and/or excessive homesickness among incoming college students can be detrimental.
    — Eric Wood, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
  • Especially for children who witnessed or experienced the arrest, detention or deportation of a family member, these effects can be severe, including separation anxiety and behavioral issues in the short term, as well as long-term risks of anxiety and depression.
    — William D. Lopez, The Conversation, 18 Feb. 2026
  • Dogs' fear of thunderstorms can originate from a mix of factors including noise aversion, separation anxiety, and static electricity buildup, according to Veterinary Specialists of the Rockies.
    — Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025
  • But by the end, in its rush, the movie still hasn’t quite come up with a point of view on whether McCartney really got over his bust-up with Lennon with a little help from his Wings friends, or whether forming a band was ultimately incidental to overcoming any lingering separation anxiety.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 4 Sep. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'separation anxiety.' 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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