Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

respiratory failure

British  

noun

  1. a condition in which the respiratory system is unable to provide an adequate supply of oxygen or to remove carbon dioxide efficiently

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

His lips had a bluish hue, which a consultant concluded was the tell-tale sign of a respiratory failure.

From BBC Apr. 21, 2026

In one instance, it referred a case of impending respiratory failure to overnight evaluation instead of an ER.

From The Wall Street Journal Apr. 4, 2026

She died the next day of respiratory failure and a pulmonary embolism.

From Los Angeles Times Mar. 25, 2026

Delays in antivenom administration can result in respiratory failure, paralysis, irreversible tissue damage, or organ failure.

From BBC Feb. 1, 2026

She died at once from respiratory failure, in spite of restorative measures.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 1157, March 5, 1898 by Various

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 12,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training