cardiac arrest

noun

: temporary or permanent cessation of the heartbeat

Examples of cardiac arrest in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Doctors performed four rounds of CPR, then rushed to figure out what was causing the mother to go into cardiac arrest. Wendy Grossman Kantor, PEOPLE, 10 May 2026 The Playboy magazine founder died at age 91 in 2017 from cardiac arrest. Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 9 May 2026 He’s partnered with consumer health-tech companies like Oura and Prenuvo, and also featured ClearCardo, as well as the foundation of Damar Hamlin, a Buffalo Bills player who had a cardiac arrest during a game three years ago, who funds CPR training and external defibrillators in youth sports. Diane Brady, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2026 The Muirlands Middle School community experienced a traumatic loss in February when a 13-year-old student suddenly suffered fatal cardiac arrest in front of the campus while walking home from school. Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cardiac arrest

Word History

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cardiac arrest was in 1873

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Cite this Entry

“Cardiac arrest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cardiac%20arrest. Accessed 12 May. 2026.

Medical Definition

cardiac arrest

noun
: abrupt temporary or permanent cessation of the heartbeat (as from ventricular fibrillation or asystole)

called also sudden cardiac arrest

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