resuscitation

noun

re·​sus·​ci·​ta·​tion ri-ˌsə-sə-ˈtā-shən 

ˌrē-

plural resuscitations

: an act or process of resuscitating someone or something:

a

medical : the act or an instance of reviving someone from apparent death or from unconsciousness

After we secured his airway, he went through … several hours of resuscitation with fluids and blood products.

—Joshua B. Alley

The EMS response times were generally fast in both groups, but successful prehospital resuscitations were not associated with significantly shorter response times than those reported in cases of refractory cardiac arrest.

—Arthur L. Kellermann et al.

… resuscitation techniques differ from other procedures in medicine in that they are usually performed only in critical situations, and thus the opportunities to learn and practice them are inherently limited.

—Jeffrey P. Burns et al.

see also cardiopulmonary resuscitation

b

: the act or an instance of restoring someone or something to an active or flourishing state

Punk may not be dead, but it certainly could use some resuscitation.

—Craig Tomashoff

His resuscitation is evident in the 1982 reissue of his autobiography, "An Artist in America."

—Grace Glueck

Synonyms of resuscitation

• revival
• resurgence
• rebirth
• renewal
• resurrection

Examples of resuscitation in a Sentence

the actor's appearance in a hit movie has led to the resuscitation of a career that had been on life support

Recent Examples on the Web

The door to the resuscitation room burst open as nurses rushed to lay a seizing infant on the table. —Allison Ong, Sun Sentinel, 12 Jan. 2026

Though in need of resuscitation, the genre still has a healthy pulse. —Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2026

The advance directive can state whether or not the dying person wants resuscitation or a feeding tube. —Hazlitt, 7 Jan. 2026

An absence of important skills, such as newborn resuscitation, can put a baby’s life at risk if they are born needing intervention. —​wendy Wisner, Parents, 29 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing resuscitation

• cardiopulmonary resuscitation
• mouth-to-mouth resuscitation

Rhymes for resuscitation

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration

Kids Definition

resuscitation

noun

re·​sus·​ci·​ta·​tion

ri-ˌsəs-ə-ˈtā-shən

: an act or procedure that attempts to resuscitate

also : the state of being resuscitated compare cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Medical Definition

resuscitation

noun

re·​sus·​ci·​ta·​tion ri-ˌsəs-ə-ˈtā-shən, rē- 

: an act of resuscitating or the state of being resuscitated

resuscitation by means of artificial respiration or cardiac massage

see cardiopulmonary resuscitation