as in inpatients
a person who goes to a doctor's office or hospital for treatment but who does not spend the night there
—often used before another noun
outpatient surgery It was a minor procedure that could be performed at an outpatient clinic.
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Recent Examples of outpatients
The study also found that the number of children aged fiveto 17 who were prescribed leucovorin as outpatients increased by 71 percent.
—
Sara Novak, Scientific American, 5 Mar. 2026
When people were also treated with a long-acting form of an opioid-blocking medication called naltrexone, relapse rates dropped across all settings — to 59% after short-term inpatient care, 46% after long-term inpatient care and 38% for those treated as outpatients.
—Emma Fenske, The Conversation, 12 Feb. 2026
Xofluza is not recommended during pregnancy, while breastfeeding, for outpatients with complicated or progressive illness, severely immunosuppressed people or hospitalized patients, because of the lack of information on its use for these groups.
—Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 26 Dec. 2025
On November 21, CMS updated Medicare payment policies and rates for hospital outpatients and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) services in 2026.
—Lauren Giella, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2025
In 2023 about 88% of Weiss’ inpatients and nearly 67% of its outpatients were on Medicare or Medicaid, according to the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board.
—Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 8 Aug. 2025
Sara Novak, Scientific American, 5 Mar. 2026
When people were also treated with a long-acting form of an opioid-blocking medication called naltrexone, relapse rates dropped across all settings — to 59% after short-term inpatient care, 46% after long-term inpatient care and 38% for those treated as outpatients.
—Emma Fenske, The Conversation, 12 Feb. 2026
Xofluza is not recommended during pregnancy, while breastfeeding, for outpatients with complicated or progressive illness, severely immunosuppressed people or hospitalized patients, because of the lack of information on its use for these groups.
—Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 26 Dec. 2025
On November 21, CMS updated Medicare payment policies and rates for hospital outpatients and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) services in 2026.
—Lauren Giella, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2025
In 2023 about 88% of Weiss’ inpatients and nearly 67% of its outpatients were on Medicare or Medicaid, according to the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board.
—Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outpatients
Noun
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Managing or controlling vending machines with vapes or nicotine products is also an offense, unless in mental health hospitals mainly for inpatients.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
23 Apr. 2026
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The hospital shuttered its emergency department on Wednesday, and then worked to transfer its inpatients to other hospitals by the end of the day Friday.—
Lisa Schencker,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But studies like this can influence whether patients feel like hope is worth chasing.—
Kathi Rigby,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 May 2026
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Only about 1 in 3 patients with Stage IV breast cancer survive more than five years, according to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Outpatients.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outpatients. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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