hospitalize
HOS-pih-tuh-lyze
Hospitalize (verb) means to send or admit a person to hospital for treatment. Example: “Doctors decided to hospitalize the patient overnight for observation.”
verb
1
To send or admit a person to hospital for treatment.
"Doctors decided to hospitalize the patient overnight for observation."
"She was hospitalized after the accident."
"The clinic can hospitalize patients who need urgent care."
2
To cause a person to need hospital treatment, said of an injury, illness or event.
"The fall hospitalized him for several weeks."
"A severe infection can hospitalize even a healthy adult."
"The crash hospitalized three passengers."
How to use hospitalize
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo hospitalize someone is to put them in hospital for care.
When to use it
Hospitalize is standard in American English; British English generally prefers hospitalise.
Memory tip
The subject of hospitalize can be a person doing the admitting, a doctor, or the injury or illness itself.
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Easily confused with
hospitalise
Common pairings
hospitalize a patient
hospitalized overnight
hospitalized for weeks
rushed to hospital and hospitalized
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Doctors decided to _____ the patient overnight for observation.
Etymology
Hospitalize was formed within English by adding the suffix -ize to hospital.
Synonyms
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hospitalise
Rhymes for hospitalize
See all rhymes for hospitalize →Frequently asked questions
What does hospitalize mean?
To hospitalize someone means to send or admit them to hospital for treatment.
Is it hospitalize or hospitalise?
Hospitalize is the American spelling, while hospitalise is the standard British spelling.
Can an illness hospitalize someone?
Yes, hospitalize can also describe an illness or injury causing a person to need hospital care, as in the illness hospitalized her.
What is the meaning of hospitalize?
"hospitalize" (verb) means to send or admit a person to hospital for treatment.
