intensive care
noun
1
: the continuous monitoring and treatment of critically ill or injured patients using special medical facilities, equipment, and services
Many of the sickest patients need intensive care, even to the point of being connected to a mechanical respirator.—
Lawrence K. Altman
Lawrence K. Altman2
: a designated area in a hospital providing intensive care : intensive care unit
heart patients in intensive care
… short of breath and feverish, doctors isolated him in intensive care.—Elisabeth Rosenthal
—often hyphenated when used before another nounElisabeth Rosenthalan intensive-care nurse
Examples of intensive care in a Sentence
Her condition will require intensive care.
Recent Examples on the Web
In addition to the three deaths, a fourth passenger was evacuated to a South African hospital and was in intensive care, and two crew members fell ill.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2026
The South African health department identified the patient in intensive care in a hospital in Johannesburg as a British national.
—CBS News, 4 May 2026
Hantavirus is believed to have infected a further three people who were traveling on the ship, including one who is now in intensive care in South Africa.
—Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 4 May 2026
Three people died, one passenger was in intensive care in South Africa, and two ailing crew members remained on board and were in need of urgent medical care, the cruise line Oceanwide Expeditions said.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for intensive care
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Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2026
The South African health department identified the patient in intensive care in a hospital in Johannesburg as a British national.
—CBS News, 4 May 2026
Hantavirus is believed to have infected a further three people who were traveling on the ship, including one who is now in intensive care in South Africa.
—Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 4 May 2026
Three people died, one passenger was in intensive care in South Africa, and two ailing crew members remained on board and were in need of urgent medical care, the cruise line Oceanwide Expeditions said.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for intensive care
Cite this Entry
“Intensive care.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intensive%20care. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
intensive care
1 of 2 noun1
: the continuous monitoring and treatment of critically ill or injured patients using special medical facilities, equipment, and services
She required intensive care and survived without sequelae.—The Journal of the American Medical Association
The Journal of the American Medical Association2
: a designated area in a hospital providing intensive care : intensive care unit
heart patients in intensive care
a patient isolated in intensive care
He spent several days in intensive care before recovering from the overdose.—Jerome Groopman
Jerome Groopmanintensive care
2 of 2 adjective
variants
also intensive-care
: providing or concerned with continuous monitoring and treatment of critically ill or injured patients using special medical facilities, equipment, and services
intensive care medicine
an intensive-care nurse
also
: receiving medical care in an intensive care unit
intensive care patients
compare acute care, chronic care
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