congestive heart failure

noun

: heart failure in which the heart is unable to maintain an adequate circulation of blood in the bodily tissues or to pump out the venous blood returned to it by the veins

Examples of congestive heart failure in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This one could be extra dangerous for her as she was recently diagnosed with congestive heart failure and suffered a stroke. —Theresa Clift, Sacramento Bee, 23 Mar. 2025

Parr, who died in 2015 of congestive heart failure at 85, in a previous interview suggested that if not for McCarthy stopping the path of that third round from Hinckley’s gun, Reagan’s wounds could have been much more serious. —Mike Nolan, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2025

Randy was initially diagnosed with presumptive cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure. —Emily Blackwood, People.com, 21 Mar. 2025

Jane Wilhelm Daniels, a textile weaver, gardener and former librarian, died of congestive heart failure Jan. 2 at her Roland Park home. —Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 12 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1930, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

congestive heart failure

noun

con·​ges·​tive heart failure

kən-ˈjes-tiv-

: heart failure in which the heart is unable to keep enough blood circulating in the tissues or is unable to pump out the blood returned to it by the veins

Medical Definition

congestive heart failure

noun

: heart failure in which the heart is unable to maintain adequate circulation of blood in the tissues of the body or to pump out the venous blood returned to it by the venous circulation compare coronary failure