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
Doctors then performed an emergency cesarean section — and moments after her daughter was born, Essence was transferred to intensive care.
—Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 2025
Two firefighters remain hospitalized in the intensive care unit.
—Vanessa Murdock, CBS News, 24 Nov. 2025
Of the 15 people taken to UofL Hospital and treated for blast injuries, burns and smoke inhalation, 13 were discharged by late morning, with two others remaining in critical condition in the intensive care unit.
—Monroe Trombly, Louisville Courier Journal, 10 Nov. 2025
Joseph Osborn was critically injured in the accident and died in the intensive care unit at Medical City Arlington hospital Wednesday afternoon, according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for intensive care
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Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 2025
Two firefighters remain hospitalized in the intensive care unit.
—Vanessa Murdock, CBS News, 24 Nov. 2025
Of the 15 people taken to UofL Hospital and treated for blast injuries, burns and smoke inhalation, 13 were discharged by late morning, with two others remaining in critical condition in the intensive care unit.
—Monroe Trombly, Louisville Courier Journal, 10 Nov. 2025
Joseph Osborn was critically injured in the accident and died in the intensive care unit at Medical City Arlington hospital Wednesday afternoon, according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Nov. 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 Nov. 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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