brain death

Definition of brain death

: final cessation of activity in the central nervous system especially as indicated by a flat electroencephalogram for a predetermined length of time

Examples of brain death in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web But the rash of scientific advancements in the 20th century presented physicians and scientists with awesome new capabilities: cultivating human life in a laboratory; artificially sustaining life after brain death; manipulating genetics. — Jordan Kisner, The Atlantic, "What the Chaos in Hospitals Is Doing to Doctors," 22 Dec. 2020 Ordinarily, only 2% of deaths result in organ donation, a small sliver of deaths because the donor must have died in a hospital while on a ventilator to support organs after brain death — and without certain diseases like cancer. — Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, "Transplants plummet as overwhelmed hospitals focus on the coronavirus," 22 Apr. 2020 After efforts to save Katie failed and brain death was declared, her body was taken to First Baptist Medical Center to begin the organ recovery process. — Jesus Jimenez, Dallas News, "He lost his wife in a car accident. Here’s how a nonprofit worked to save her organs for donation," 8 May 2020 Under normal circumstances, a donation is coordinated roughly 36 hours after brain death has been declared. — Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, "Transplants plummet as overwhelmed hospitals focus on the coronavirus," 22 Apr. 2020 More: Understanding brain death vs. states of consciousness More: Beaumont says Titus Cromer, 16, is brain dead. — Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press, "Titus Cromer, teen at center of life support legal battle, dies at age 16," 27 Jan. 2020 The locus of death shifted from the chest to the brain (and from public view into the private sphere of the hospital room), with the exact time of actual brain death uncertain. — Christof Koch, Scientific American, "Is Death Reversible?," 11 Oct. 2019 Coma is distinguished from brain death by the presence of brain stem responses, spontaneous breathing or non-purposeful motor responses. — Usa Today, Detroit Free Press, "Understanding brain death vs. states of consciousness," 19 Nov. 2019 Dolan says new technology has made traditional tests to diagnose brain death obsolete. — Paul Elias, Fox News, "Mother: Girl at center of debate over brain death dies," 28 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'brain death.' 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

10 Jan 2021

Cite this Entry

“Brain death.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brain%20death. Accessed 23 Jan. 2021.

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More Definitions for brain death

brain death

noun

English Language Learners Definition of brain death

medical : the condition of having no brain function : the end of activity in the brain

See the full definition for brain death in the English Language Learners Dictionary

brain death

noun

Medical Definition of brain death

: final cessation of activity in the central nervous system especially as indicated by a flat electroencephalogram for a predetermined length of time

brain death

noun

\ ˈbrān-ˌdeth \

Legal Definition of brain death

: the final stopping of activity in the central nervous system especially as indicated by a flat electroencephalogram for a usually statutorily predetermined period of time