life support

noun

: medical equipment, treatments, or medications that temporarily replace or support the function of one or more failing organs in a seriously ill or injured patient and that provide an opportunity for stabilization or recovery
The patient was placed on life support.
A mechanical pump that was invented as a temporary life support for patients with advanced heart failure is emerging as a potential tool to help hearts heal and function for the long term on their own.Ron Winslow
The current pediatric and adult life support recommendations suggest an epinephrine administration interval … of 3–5 minutes during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).Donald H. Shaffner and Clifton W. Callaway
sometimes hyphenated when used before another noun
life-support equipment
life-support measures

Examples of life support in a Sentence

He was removed from life support. She was put on life support. equipment providing life support for astronauts
Recent Examples on the Web Meehan, who’d been placed on life support, died four days later at age 57. Jeff Truesdell, Peoplemag, 13 Mar. 2024 An audacious effort by the American media executive Jeff Zucker and his Emirati backers to acquire London’s Daily Telegraph appeared to be on life support on Wednesday after the British government advanced legislation that would bar foreign state ownership of newspapers and newsmagazines. Mark Landler, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 In the final analysis, the alternative games may keep Russian athletics on life support, at least for now. Fred Weir, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 Mar. 2024 On the other hand, the Rockets are just 25-33, 12th in the West, with their play-in hopes very much on life support. Rahat Huq, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Rose played well, but after Trick One, the defense was on life support. Frank Stewart, The Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2024 Nahla died after doctors took her off life support on April 21, 2021. Sarah Dewberry, CNN, 23 Feb. 2024 She was later taken off life support and died just three weeks shy of her fifth birthday. Chris Ramirez, Journal Sentinel, 1 Mar. 2024 He was placed on life support for several days and died Jan. 16. Minyvonne Burke, NBC News, 27 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'life support.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1974, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of life support was in 1974

Dictionary Entries Near life support

Cite this Entry

“Life support.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/life%20support. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

life support

noun
: medical equipment, treatments, or medications used to temporarily replace or support the function of one or more failing organs in a seriously ill or injured patient and that provide an opportunity for stabilization or recovery
Extracorporeal life support … is used to support the circulation of a patient with severe cardiac failure. The physiologic objective is to provide temporary circulatory support to the vital organs and to unload the failing heart as the injured myocardium attempts to recover.Massimo Massetti et al., The Annals of Thoracic Surgery
Most of the patients from whom support was withheld or withdrawn had intracranial lesions, usually the result of trauma. A poor prognosis or brain death prompted the withholding or withdrawal of life support in most patients.Nicholas G. Smedira et al., The New England Journal of Medicine
sometimes hyphenated when used before another noun
The principles of medical ethics permit active, direct euthanasia … as well as passive and indirect forms. The latter include withholding or removing life-support measures, administering effective pain controls that often hasten death, and assisting patients in suicide.Susan S. Mattingly, The New England Journal of Medicine
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!