hospitalize

verb

hos·​pi·​tal·​ize ˈhä-(ˌ)spi-tə-ˌlīz 

hospitalized; hospitalizing

transitive verb

: to place in a hospital as a patient

hospitalization

ˌhä-(ˌ)spi-tə-lə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

Examples of hospitalize in a Sentence

The doctor wants to hospitalize her for a few days so that he can run some tests.

Recent Examples on the Web

The wounded woman was hospitalized in stable condition, the release stated. — Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026

One person was killed and two people were hospitalized after an explosion at a San Bernardino County home on Friday night, according to firefighters. — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 23 Aug. 2026

Corporal Corman has since been released from the hospital, while Trooper Mills remains hospitalized in stable condition, according to the release. — Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 22 Aug. 2026

Triplett’s 11-year-old daughter, Ranleigh, was critically injured and remains hospitalized. — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

hospital + -ize

First Known Use

circa 1899, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hospitalize

• actualize
• antagonize
• apologise
• apologize
• capitalize
• categorize
• characterize
• commercialize
• conceptualize
• contrariwise
• criminalize
• decentralize

Kids Definition

hospitalize

verb

hos·​pi·​tal·​ize ˈhäs-ˌpit-ᵊl-ˌīz 

hospitalized; hospitalizing

: to place in a hospital as a patient

hospitalization

ˌhäs-ˌpit-ᵊl-ə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

Medical Definition

hospitalize

transitive verb

hos·​pi·​tal·​ize

variants or chiefly British hospitalise

ˈhäs-(ˌ)pit-ᵊl-ˌīz  häs-ˈpit-ᵊl-ˌīz 

hospitalized or chiefly British hospitalised; hospitalizing or chiefly British hospitalising

: to place in a hospital as a patient

the child was hospitalized at once for diagnosis and treatment

—The Journal of the American Medical Association