intubate

verb

in·​tu·​bate ˈin-(ˌ)tü-ˌbāt  -(ˌ)tyü-  -tə- 

intubated; intubating; intubates

transitive + intransitive

: to perform intubation on : to subject to intubation

The anesthesiologist resuscitates and intubates—if necessary—newborns in distress.

—Joseph J. Neuschatz

… female presented to the ED [emergency department] in a coma 90 minutes after ingesting approximately 8 g of nortriptyline. She was intubated, lavaged, and received activated charcoal.

—R. Rasmussen and P. E. McKinney

The trachea was intubated … and 100% oxygen was administered …

—Kamyar Kalantar-Zadeh et al.

No one, amid the rush to intubate, had thought to prick the patient's finger and check his blood glucose level …

—Tony Dajer

Examples of intubate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Her husband, Wyatt, was told to notify their children the doctors had given her a week to live after being intubated. —Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 7 Nov. 2025

Sebastian was intubated because the swelling from the burns obstructed his airway, reducing his ability to breathe normally, Reynoso added. —Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2025

One smoke inhalation patient at Henry Ford Genesys was still intubated Monday while two had been discharged, Danic said. —Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025

On Tuesday, Gosselin shared an update, posting a TikTok photo in which she was seen intubated while lying in a hospital bed. —Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from intubation

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

intubate

verb

in·​tu·​bate ˈin-(ˌ)t(y)ü-ˌbāt  -tə- 

intubated; intubating; intubates

transitive + intransitive

: to perform intubation on : to subject to intubation

These patients should be intubated regardless of the blood gas results. ABG measurements, however, can assist in the decision to intubate less severely stressed patients.

—James W. Holcroft et al., Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Surgery, 13th edition

I'm very nervous, because I haven't intubated many children and I'm not sure how big she is or what size endotracheal tube I'll need.

—Valerie Norton, in Emergency!

No one, amid the rush to intubate, had thought to prick the patient's finger and check his blood glucose level …

—Tony Dajer, Discover

Twenty consecutive pediatric patients … whose tracheas had been intubated for various causes of respiratory failure, and who had received a CT scan, were included in our study.

—Kevin R. Bock et al., Chest