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
Hoffman was taken to the intensive care unit at North Kansas City Hospital, but succumbed to his injuries.
—Julia Gomez, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2025
The medical claims from their time in neonatal intensive care alone totaled around $1 million.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 15 Apr. 2025
An elderly aunt of Lyle and Erik Menendez is in intensive care after prosecutors showed graphic crime scene images during the brothers' hearing on Friday, according to a spokesperson for the family.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Her family brought in a nurse, who immediately decided to take her to the intensive care unit (ICU).
—Jordan Greene, People.com, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for intensive care
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Julia Gomez, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2025
The medical claims from their time in neonatal intensive care alone totaled around $1 million.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 15 Apr. 2025
An elderly aunt of Lyle and Erik Menendez is in intensive care after prosecutors showed graphic crime scene images during the brothers' hearing on Friday, according to a spokesperson for the family.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Her family brought in a nurse, who immediately decided to take her to the intensive care unit (ICU).
—Jordan Greene, People.com, 11 Apr. 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 3 May. 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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