advance directive

noun

Definition of advance directive

: a legal document (such as a living will) signed by a competent person to provide guidance for medical and health-care decisions (such as the termination of life support or organ donation) in the event the person becomes incompetent to make such decisions

Examples of advance directive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The organization End of Life Washington has created a 23-page dementia advance directive. — New York Times, 12 Jan. 2022 Did Bovier want to write an advance directive that would instruct doctors about intubation, CPR and other lifesaving measures, to save her children from deciding those issues in an emergency? — The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 15 Nov. 2021 Here’s the lowdown on how involuntary holds work, how to protect yourself and where to get that template to start your psychiatric advance directive. — Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2021 But the most important document in the binder is your advance directive. — New York Times, 9 Jan. 2021 Despite existing in some form since the 1970s, only 37% of Americans report having formalized their wishes through an advance directive. — L.s. Dugdale, STAT, 27 Nov. 2020 That situation isn’t easily addressed in advance directive. — Julie Washington, cleveland, 25 Nov. 2020 Many clients are concerned about how their advance directive, also known as a living will or physician’s directive, works in times like these. — Houston Chronicle, 21 Aug. 2020 Only 25% have documented their end-of-life wishes in the form of an advance directive, and less than 20% discussed those wishes with their healthcare provider. — Jessica Gold, Time, 30 Mar. 2020 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'advance directive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

13 May 2022

Cite this Entry

“Advance directive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/advance%20directive. Accessed 21 May. 2022.

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More Definitions for advance directive

advance directive

noun

ad·vance di·rec·tive | \ əd-ˈvan(t)s-də-ˈrek-tiv, -dī-

Medical Definition of advance directive

: a legal document (as a living will) signed by a living competent person in order to provide guidance for medical and health-care decisions (as the termination of life support and organ donation) in the event that the person becomes incompetent to make such decisions

advance directive

noun

Legal Definition of advance directive

: a document (as a living will or health care power of attorney) in which a person expresses his or her wishes regarding medical treatment in the event of incapacity