resuscitation

noun

re·​sus·​ci·​ta·​tion ri-ˌsə-sə-ˈtā-shən 

ˌrē-

plural resuscitations

: an act or process of resuscitating someone or something:

a

medical : the act or an instance of reviving someone from apparent death or from unconsciousness

The EMS response times were generally fast in both groups, but successful prehospital resuscitations were not associated with significantly shorter response times than those reported in cases of refractory cardiac arrest.

—Arthur L. Kellermann et al.

… resuscitation techniques differ from other procedures in medicine in that they are usually performed only in critical situations, and thus the opportunities to learn and practice them are inherently limited.

—Jeffrey P. Burns et al.

see also cardiopulmonary resuscitation

b

: the act or an instance of restoring someone or something to an active or flourishing state

Punk may not be dead, but it certainly could use some resuscitation. And that's where Anthrax comes in.

—Craig Tomashoff

His resuscitation is evident in the 1982 reissue of his autobiography, "An Artist in America."

—Grace Glueck

Synonyms

• reanimation
• rebirth
• regeneration
• rejuvenation
• rejuvenescence
• renewal
• resurgence
• resurrection
• revitalization
• revival
• revivification

Examples of resuscitation in a Sentence

the actor's appearance in a hit movie has led to the resuscitation of a career that had been on life support

Recent Examples on the Web

The dog was found unconscious, and unable to be saved despite resuscitation efforts, the release said. —Courier-News, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2025

Despite several hours of resuscitation efforts from Sylveseter, other climbers, and Sherpas, Pancoe could not be revived. —Owen Clarke, Outside Online, 9 May 2025

In the same way that a pullback on trade has lagged effects, the potential resuscitation of more normal relations may also take several months to be felt — with a major slowdown of investment and hiring by U.S. businesses in the meantime. —Talmon Joseph Smith, New York Times, 2 May 2025

Her work, then, is the work of resuscitation via bewitchment. —Ocean Vuong, New Yorker, 19 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing resuscitation

• cardiopulmonary resuscitation
• mouth-to-mouth resuscitation

Rhymes for resuscitation

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration

Kids Definition

resuscitation

noun

re·​sus·​ci·​ta·​tion

ri-ˌsəs-ə-ˈtā-shən

: an act or procedure that attempts to resuscitate

also : the state of being resuscitated compare cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Medical Definition

resuscitation

noun

re·​sus·​ci·​ta·​tion ri-ˌsəs-ə-ˈtā-shən, rē- 

: an act of resuscitating or the state of being resuscitated

resuscitation by means of artificial respiration or cardiac massage

see cardiopulmonary resuscitation