general anesthesia

noun

: anesthesia affecting the entire body and accompanied by loss of consciousness compare local anesthesia
general anesthetic noun

Examples of general anesthesia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But the dentist recommended coming back at another time to use general anesthesia, the attorney said. Deon J. Hampton, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2025 Surgery itself is only 10 minutes long but general anesthesia really does take a toll on you. R29 Team, Refinery29, 25 Aug. 2025 It’s estimated that in roughly one or two of every 1,000 surgeries under general anesthesia, the patient regains consciousness. Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025 Despite recovering from general anesthesia, Scott was ready to start whipping up jokes. Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for general anesthesia

Word History

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of general anesthesia was in 1881

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“General anesthesia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/general%20anesthesia. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Medical Definition

general anesthesia

noun
: anesthesia affecting the entire body and accompanied by loss of consciousness
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!