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

2

: 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 noun

an intensive-care nurse

Examples of intensive care in a Sentence

Her condition will require intensive care.

Recent Examples on the Web

The new tower will also include event space, a new sterile processing department, a new main lobby, a new CT suite and a satellite pharmacy to serve the intensive care units better. —Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 26 June 2025

The couple's son Ryder died two days later, while Hunter remained in the neonatal intensive care unit for 109 days. —Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 25 June 2025

While future research is needed to validate the results and confirm whether or not it can be applied to all patients entering intensive care, the researchers hope the MDS will pave the way for new diagnosis and treatment routes in the future. —Rosie McCall, Discover Magazine, 23 June 2025

He was admitted to the intensive care unit and put on mechanical ventilation. —ArsTechnica, 20 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1954, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for intensive care

• extraordinaire
• multimillionaire
• abwehr
• affair
• affaire
• airfare
• altair
• armchair
• aware
• beware
• bugbear
• carfare

Kids Definition

intensive care

noun

: continuous monitoring and treatment of seriously ill patients using special medical equipment and services

also : a unit in a hospital providing intensive care

Medical Definition

intensive care

1 of 2 noun

1

: 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

2

: 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

intensive 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