diagnose

verb

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di·ag·nose | \ ˈdī-ig-ˌnōs

, -ˌnōz, ˌdī-ig-ˈnōs

, -ˈnōz, -əg- \

diagnosed; diagnosing

Definition of diagnose

transitive verb

1a : to recognize (something, such as a disease) by signs and symptoms The other method of diagnosing gallstones is through an ultrasound examination, which has the advantages of being simple, safe and quick.— G. Timothy Johnson Pulmonary embolus was diagnosed in two of the actively treated patients …— Richard D. Sautter et al.

b : to recognize a disease or condition in The physicist and cosmologist was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease when he was a 21-year-old student at Cambridge University.— Maria Cheng

2 : to analyze the cause or nature of The mechanic diagnosed the problem with the engine.

intransitive verb

: to identify a disease from its signs and symptoms : to make a diagnosis

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Examples of diagnose in a Sentence

The test is used to help in diagnosing heart disease. Thousands of new cases have been diagnosed in the past year. The doctor was unable to diagnose the skin condition. a new doctor with little experience diagnosing patients The mechanic was unable to diagnose the problem.

Recent Examples on the Web The first patient in Illinois, a woman in her 60s, was hospitalized after being diagnosed with the illness following her return from Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the virus outbreak, on Jan. 13. — Grace Hauck, USA TODAY, "Uncertainty, face masks and worry in Illinois suburb where 2 coronavirus patients are treated," 2 Feb. 2020 Now on the verge of turning 60 on Jan. 29, the one-time superstar athlete — who became one of the first high-profile athletes to come out as gay in 1994, six years after being diagnosed with HIV — is too busy to spend much time dwelling on the past. — Johnny Dodd, PEOPLE.com, "Olympic Diver Greg Louganis on Pushing Through ‘Rough’ Times — and Fitting Back Into His Speedo," 15 Jan. 2020 Fish, 61, died of cancer last week after being diagnosed in 2017. — oregonlive, "Public memorial for Commissioner Nick Fish to occur in February on PSU campus," 8 Jan. 2020 The American Cancer Society estimates 3% of patients with stage 4 pancreatic cancer are alive five years after being diagnosed. — Bill Cormier, Fortune, "Congressman John Lewis Says Cancer is His Latest Battle," 30 Dec. 2019 The American Cancer Society estimates 3% of patients with stage 4 pancreatic cancer are alive five years after being diagnosed. — Bill Cormier, Anchorage Daily News, "Congressman John Lewis says cancer is his latest battle," 30 Dec. 2019 After being diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection, the child was discharged and sent to a Border Patrol facility, which administered his prescriptions. — Jasmine Aguilera, Time, "Inspector General Report Says 'No Misconduct' Found in the Cases of 2 Children Who Died in Border Patrol Custody," 22 Dec. 2019 Yang died Tuesday in his St. Paul home one month after being diagnosed with cancer. — Deanna Weniger, Twin Cities, "Seng Yang, who helped resettle thousands of Hmong refugees, dies at 64 in St. Paul," 21 Dec. 2019 Rogers police received a report a boy was in critical condition and transported from Mercy Hospital to Mercy in Springfield, Mo., after being diagnosed with a brain bleed, according to a probable cause affidavit. — Arkansas Online, "Arkansas man sentenced to 30 years in prison for injuring infant," 16 Dec. 2019

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