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
Warren Police Commissioner Charles Rushton told the Free Press the officer who was driving was released from the hospital Tuesday and the other officer remains in the intensive care unit, though his condition was upgraded.
—Christina Hall, Detroit Free Press, 1 Oct. 2024
Before long he was admitted to the intensive care unit.
—Kathleen Felton, SELF, 27 Sep. 2024
In February 2023, Kotb was absent from Today for two weeks when Hope experienced a medical crisis that landed her in the intensive care unit (ICU) for several days and in the hospital for more than a week.
—Jen Juneau, Peoplemag, 26 Sep. 2024
If an organ donor dies at a community hospital, the hospital must often keep the donor in a bed in its intensive care unit until the organs are retrieved, meaning less space for other patients.
—Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for intensive care 
Christina Hall, Detroit Free Press, 1 Oct. 2024
Before long he was admitted to the intensive care unit.
—Kathleen Felton, SELF, 27 Sep. 2024
In February 2023, Kotb was absent from Today for two weeks when Hope experienced a medical crisis that landed her in the intensive care unit (ICU) for several days and in the hospital for more than a week.
—Jen Juneau, Peoplemag, 26 Sep. 2024
If an organ donor dies at a community hospital, the hospital must often keep the donor in a bed in its intensive care unit until the organs are retrieved, meaning less space for other patients.
—Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for intensive care
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'intensive care.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near intensive care
Cite this Entry
“Intensive care.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intensive%20care. Accessed 15 Oct. 2024.
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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