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
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
See All Example Sentences for intensive care
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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
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 8 Jul. 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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