: of, relating to, or performed on a heart temporarily stopped and relieved of circulatory function and surgically opened for repair of defects or damage
open-heart surgery

Examples of open-heart in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
He has been supported in recovery by his family, said the rep. Coronary, or heart, bypasses are the most common open-heart surgeries in the country, with 400,000 procedures performed in the U.S. each year, according to WebMD. Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 17 July 2025 Horsey was named the Comeback Player of the Year in 2020 by the Mayor Clinic after having open-heart surgery in 2018 and starting on the offensive line for the Wildcats in 2020. Stephanie Kuzydym, The Courier-Journal, 17 July 2025 High temperature: 98 degrees (1974) Low temperature: 50 degrees (1895) Precipitation: 2.43 inches (1946) Snowfall: None 1893: The first successful open-heart surgery took place at Provident Hospital — the city’s first interracial hospital — on Chicago’s South Side. Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2025 The film, which is available to watch on PBS, features their multi-day ride from St. Louis to Chicago in 2021 and illustrates his father's health journey, including the three open-heart surgeries. Jillian Frankel, People.com, 6 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for open-heart

Word History

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of open-heart was in 1959

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Open-heart.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/open-heart. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

open-heart

adjective
: of, relating to, or done on a heart temporarily stopped and surgically opened for repair of defects or damage
open-heart surgery

Medical Definition

open-heart

adjective
: of, relating to, or performed on a heart temporarily stopped and relieved of circulatory function and surgically opened for repair of defects or damage
open-heart surgery
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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