outpatient

noun

out·​pa·​tient ˈau̇t-ˌpā-shənt How to pronounce outpatient (audio)
often attributive
: a patient who is not hospitalized overnight but who visits a hospital, clinic, or associated facility for diagnosis or treatment compare inpatient

Examples of outpatient in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Advertisement Her parents realized something was wrong, and Koziol started outpatient treatment for anorexia the summer after junior year. Charlotte Alter, Time, 18 June 2025 That’s 74% of the beds and 82% of the outpatient treatment slots that the bond initially promised. Calmatters, Mercury News, 12 June 2025 The system easily outperforms private hospitals in cleanliness, communication, and patient satisfaction; last spring, its outpatient clinics had a ninety-two-per-cent trust rating. David W. Brown, New Yorker, 12 June 2025 Low-income individuals that received regular monthly cash stipends visited the emergency department less, had fewer hospital admissions and participated in more outpatient subspecialty care according to an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for outpatient

Word History

First Known Use

1715, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of outpatient was in 1715

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Outpatient.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outpatient. Accessed 25 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

outpatient

noun
out·​pa·​tient ˈau̇t-ˌpā-shənt How to pronounce outpatient (audio)
: a patient who visits a hospital for diagnosis or treatment without staying overnight compare inpatient

Medical Definition

outpatient

noun
out·​pa·​tient ˈau̇t-ˌpā-shənt How to pronounce outpatient (audio)
: a patient who is not hospitalized overnight but who visits a hospital, clinic, or associated facility for diagnosis or treatment compare inpatient

More from Merriam-Webster on outpatient

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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