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

Steven Aaron Allen, a retired attorney and former federal prosecutor, recalled for his skill with legal evidence, died of congestive heart failure July 18 at University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center. —Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 30 July 2025

Other underlying causes included congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease and hypertension. —Carson Blackwelder, People.com, 11 June 2025

Contributing conditions were years of congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease and hypertension, also known as high blood pressure. —Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 11 June 2025

The certificate cites congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease and hypertension as underlying causes of Wendt’s death, with significant contributing conditions of kidney failure and high cholesterol. —Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 5 June 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