sanatorium
noun
san·a·to·ri·um
ˌsa-nə-ˈtȯr-ē-əm 
variants
or sanitarium
or less commonly sanitorium
plural sanatoriums or sanatoria
ˌsa-nə-ˈtȯr-ē-ə
or sanitariums or sanitaria
ˌsa-nə-ˈter-ē-ə
also sanitoriums or sanitoria
ˌsa-nə-ˈtȯr-ē-ə
or sanitariums or sanitaria
ˌsa-nə-ˈter-ē-ə
also sanitoriums or sanitoria
ˌsa-nə-ˈtȯr-ē-ə
1
: an establishment or facility offering usually long-term medical care or treatment: such as
a
: an establishment that provides therapy typically involving specific regimens (such as special diet, fresh air, or daily exercise) for treatment or rehabilitation
I contracted pulmonary tuberculosis and found myself flat on my back in a sanatorium in the Adirondack Mountains …—
Walker Percy
Walker PercyHe wanted to kick the drugs, and several times in 1966 and 1967 he went to a sanitarium outside Paris and took a "sleeping cure"—a regimen of tranquillizers and bed rest.—Ingrid Sischy
Ingrid Sischy
b
: a facility treating individuals with mental or emotional disorders
He suffered his first nervous breakdown in November of 1947 … and was committed to a Long Island sanatorium for almost a year.—Francis Davis
Francis Davis… we read of Freud's twice-a-day visits to the sanitarium where his … patient was staying …—Janet Malcolm
Janet Malcolm
c
: an institution for rest and recuperation
It was the same sanitarium where he recovered from a quintuple heart bypass operation in 1996.—Fred Coleman
Fred Coleman2
: an establishment catering to individuals seeking to improve or maintain good health : a health resort
So all we get is a luxe bustling sanitarium with people concentrating on vegetarian diets and their colons.—Stanley Kauffmann
Stanley KauffmannExamples of sanatorium in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The thriller — more horrific than straight-up scary — is worth checking out, if only for the late Brittany Murphy's nervy turn as a razor-wielding woman confined to a sanatorium.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Oct. 2025
Now, the sanatorium hosts public and private tours and paranormal investigations for those interested in exploring the building.
—Keely Doll, Louisville Courier Journal, 8 Aug. 2025
Castle Apartments: Built in 1906, Castle Apartments was originally Whitwell Hospital and has been a sanatorium, retirement home and residential apartments over the years.
—Shelby Slade, AZCentral.com, 5 Aug. 2025
For a local experience, book a treatment at one of Jurmala’s historic sanatoriums.
—Becca Blond, AFAR Media, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sanatorium
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Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Oct. 2025
Now, the sanatorium hosts public and private tours and paranormal investigations for those interested in exploring the building.
—Keely Doll, Louisville Courier Journal, 8 Aug. 2025
Castle Apartments: Built in 1906, Castle Apartments was originally Whitwell Hospital and has been a sanatorium, retirement home and residential apartments over the years.
—Shelby Slade, AZCentral.com, 5 Aug. 2025
For a local experience, book a treatment at one of Jurmala’s historic sanatoriums.
—Becca Blond, AFAR Media, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sanatorium
Cite this Entry
“Sanatorium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sanatorium. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sanatorium
noun
san·a·to·ri·um
ˌsan-ə-ˈtōr-ē-əm
-ˈtȯr-
plural sanatoriums or sanatoria
-ē-ə
: an establishment for the care and treatment especially of people recovering from illness or having a disease likely to last a long time
called also sanitarium
Medical Definition
sanatorium
noun
san·a·to·ri·um
ˌsan-ə-ˈtōr-ē-əm, -ˈtȯr-
plural sanatoriums or sanatoria
-ē-ə
1
: an establishment that provides therapy combined with a regimen (as of diet and exercise) for treatment or rehabilitation
2
a
: an institution for rest and recuperation (as of convalescents)
b
: an establishment for the treatment of the chronically ill
a tuberculosis sanatorium
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