intensive care
noun
1
: the continuous monitoring and treatment of critically ill or injured patients using special medical facilities, equipment, and services
Many of the sickest patients need intensive care, even to the point of being connected to a mechanical respirator.—
Lawrence K. Altman
Lawrence K. Altman2
: a designated area in a hospital providing intensive care : intensive care unit
heart patients in intensive care
… short of breath and feverish, doctors isolated him in intensive care.—Elisabeth Rosenthal
—often hyphenated when used before another nounElisabeth Rosenthalan intensive-care nurse
Examples of intensive care in a Sentence
Her condition will require intensive care.
Recent Examples on the Web
If blood pressure or oxygen levels fall, intensive care is required to stabilize circulation and breathing.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
Fete was a cardiovascular intensive care nurse for years before committing herself to theater.
—Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 24 Sep. 2025
For some children, this can quickly spiral into pneumonia or bronchiolitis, requiring hospitalization and sometimes intensive care.
—Suzette Brewer, Scientific American, 23 Sep. 2025
According to a statement from Robertson's attorney, the former Falcons player spent two weeks in the hospital, including 10 days in an intensive care unit.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 21 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for intensive care
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Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
Fete was a cardiovascular intensive care nurse for years before committing herself to theater.
—Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 24 Sep. 2025
For some children, this can quickly spiral into pneumonia or bronchiolitis, requiring hospitalization and sometimes intensive care.
—Suzette Brewer, Scientific American, 23 Sep. 2025
According to a statement from Robertson's attorney, the former Falcons player spent two weeks in the hospital, including 10 days in an intensive care unit.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 21 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for intensive care
Cite this Entry
“Intensive care.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intensive%20care. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
intensive care
1 of 2 noun1
: the continuous monitoring and treatment of critically ill or injured patients using special medical facilities, equipment, and services
She required intensive care and survived without sequelae.—The Journal of the American Medical Association
The Journal of the American Medical Association2
: a designated area in a hospital providing intensive care : intensive care unit
heart patients in intensive care
a patient isolated in intensive care
He spent several days in intensive care before recovering from the overdose.—Jerome Groopman
Jerome Groopmanintensive care
2 of 2 adjective
variants
also intensive-care
: providing or concerned with continuous monitoring and treatment of critically ill or injured patients using special medical facilities, equipment, and services
intensive care medicine
an intensive-care nurse
also
: receiving medical care in an intensive care unit
intensive care patients
compare acute care, chronic care
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