1
: a lodging for travelers, young persons, or the underprivileged especially when maintained by a religious order
2
: a program designed to provide palliative care and emotional support to the terminally ill in a home or homelike setting so that quality of life is maintained and family members may be active participants in care
also
: a facility that provides such a program
Examples of hospice in a Sentence
She chose to go to a hospice instead of a hospital.
the monks run a hospice for travelers in their mountain retreat
Recent Examples on the Web
Consider, for instance, the tense conversations between healthcare professionals who disagree about whether the best course of treatment for a patient is to turn to hospice services.
—
Deborah Mower,
The Conversation,
2 July 2026
Gallagher is accused in the March 21, 2022, killing of her uncle, Thomas Arthur Burke, a 74-year-old who was dying of cancer while in hospice care at his Fort Lauderdale home.
—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
30 June 2026
My personal experience of AIDS comes from my aunt, Lory Lobiondo, who became a hospice nurse after her best friend died of AIDS in 1987.
—
Sarah Schulman,
Literary Hub,
29 June 2026
Due to his decline, Terry entered hospice care in February 2024.
—
Vanessa Etienne,
PEOPLE,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for hospice
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show current usage.
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Deborah Mower,
The Conversation,
2 July 2026
Gallagher is accused in the March 21, 2022, killing of her uncle, Thomas Arthur Burke, a 74-year-old who was dying of cancer while in hospice care at his Fort Lauderdale home.
—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
30 June 2026
My personal experience of AIDS comes from my aunt, Lory Lobiondo, who became a hospice nurse after her best friend died of AIDS in 1987.
—
Sarah Schulman,
Literary Hub,
29 June 2026
Due to his decline, Terry entered hospice care in February 2024.
—
Vanessa Etienne,
PEOPLE,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for hospice
Cite this Entry
“Hospice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hospice. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hospice
noun
hos·pice
ˈhäs-pəs 
1
: an inn for travelers
especially
: one kept by a religious order
2
: a place or program for caring for dying persons
Medical Definition
hospice
noun
hos·pice
ˈhäs-pəs
: a facility or program designed to provide palliative care and emotional support to the terminally ill in a home or homelike setting so that quality of life is maintained and family members may be active participants in care
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