critical care
noun
1
: the monitoring and treatment of critically ill or injured patients : intensive care
Critical care involves the use of life-sustaining, high-technology medicine catering to a patient population that extends to both extremes of age. In adult ICUs, the average age is increasing and is now commonly well over 60 years.—
Simon Finfer and Jean-Louis Vincent
Simon Finfer and Jean-Louis Vincent2
: a designated area of a hospital providing critical care : intensive care unit
The death toll rose from six to at least 12, with scores of people needing hospital treatment and some in critical care.—Heather Brooke
—often hyphenated when used before another nounHeather Brookecritical-care nursing
a critical-care bed
see also critical care unit
Examples of critical care in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Advocates including Protect Our Care have argued the cuts will exacerbate these health inequities, including driving up medical debt in communities of color, worsening health outcomes and leaving families without access to critical care.
—Cheyanne M. Daniels, The Hill, 25 Mar. 2025
Tustin vet hospital pivots to 24/7 care Advanced Veterinary Specialty Group Internal Medicine & Urgent Care recently expanded its services to 24/7 emergency and critical care.
—Samantha Gowen, Oc Register, 25 Mar. 2025
With these focuses on critical care, Ross said recruitment at Virginia Mason starts with excellence.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025
Hospitals are overwhelmed with patients and medical staff are providing critical care inside makeshift tents.
—Jade Walker, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for critical care
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.
Cheyanne M. Daniels, The Hill, 25 Mar. 2025
Tustin vet hospital pivots to 24/7 care Advanced Veterinary Specialty Group Internal Medicine & Urgent Care recently expanded its services to 24/7 emergency and critical care.
—Samantha Gowen, Oc Register, 25 Mar. 2025
With these focuses on critical care, Ross said recruitment at Virginia Mason starts with excellence.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025
Hospitals are overwhelmed with patients and medical staff are providing critical care inside makeshift tents.
—Jade Walker, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for critical care
Cite this Entry
“Critical care.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/critical%20care. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share