life support

noun

: medical equipment, treatments, or medications that temporarily replace or support the function of one or more failing organs in a seriously ill or injured patient and that provide an opportunity for stabilization or recovery
The patient was placed on life support.
A mechanical pump that was invented as a temporary life support for patients with advanced heart failure is emerging as a potential tool to help hearts heal and function for the long term on their own.Ron Winslow
The current pediatric and adult life support recommendations suggest an epinephrine administration interval … of 3–5 minutes during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).Donald H. Shaffner and Clifton W. Callaway
sometimes hyphenated when used before another noun
life-support equipment
life-support measures

Examples of life support in a Sentence

He was removed from life support. She was put on life support. equipment providing life support for astronauts
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.
Their championship aspirations may already be on life support, but the playoffs aren't out of the question. Bryan Toporek, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024 Hegseth’s nomination to lead the Pentagon appeared to be on life support last week. Brett Samuels, The Hill, 12 Dec. 2024 How to Watch Cincinnati Bengals vs Dallas Cowboys: Date: Monday, December 9, 2024 Time: 8:20 PM ET Venue: AT&T Stadium, Dallas Texas Channel: ESPN, ABC Stream: Fubo The Bengals started the season with playoff dreams, but at 4-8, those dreams are now on life support. Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024 Today the once-proud brand is a shell of its former self, an after-thought on life support, whose very future could be in doubt. Chris Isidore, CNN, 5 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for life support 

Word History

First Known Use

1974, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of life support was in 1974

Dictionary Entries Near life support

Cite this Entry

“Life support.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/life%20support. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Medical Definition

life support

noun
: medical equipment, treatments, or medications used to temporarily replace or support the function of one or more failing organs in a seriously ill or injured patient and that provide an opportunity for stabilization or recovery
Extracorporeal life support … is used to support the circulation of a patient with severe cardiac failure. The physiologic objective is to provide temporary circulatory support to the vital organs and to unload the failing heart as the injured myocardium attempts to recover.Massimo Massetti et al., The Annals of Thoracic Surgery
Most of the patients from whom support was withheld or withdrawn had intracranial lesions, usually the result of trauma. A poor prognosis or brain death prompted the withholding or withdrawal of life support in most patients.Nicholas G. Smedira et al., The New England Journal of Medicine
sometimes hyphenated when used before another noun
The principles of medical ethics permit active, direct euthanasia … as well as passive and indirect forms. The latter include withholding or removing life-support measures, administering effective pain controls that often hasten death, and assisting patients in suicide.Susan S. Mattingly, The New England Journal of Medicine
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!