respiratory arrest
noun
: a state in which one stops breathing
The hospital reported an increase in respiratory arrests.
Examples of respiratory arrest in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Three weeks following his death, Wilson's death certificate revealed the iconic singer-songwriter died after experiencing several minutes of respiratory arrest at his Beverly Hills, California, home.
—
Edward Segarra, USA Today, 24 Dec. 2025
The bacteria then colonize the intestinal tract and produce neurotoxins that can lead to constipation, weakness, breathing problems and even respiratory arrest.
—Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 16 Dec. 2025
Symptoms can also include low muscle tone, difficulty sucking and swallowing, weak or altered cry, generalized weakness, respiratory difficulty, and possible respiratory arrest.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025
The symptoms can grow more serious: difficulty breathing, respiratory arrest.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 16 Nov. 2025
Low levels of phosphate and potassium in the blood can cause cardiac and respiratory arrest; low levels of thiamine can damage the brain.
—Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2025
Wilson’s death was announced by his family on June 11, with TMZ reporting that the musician’s immediate cause of death was respiratory arrest, with sepsis and cystitis listed as contributing causes.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 8 Aug. 2025
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.
Edward Segarra, USA Today, 24 Dec. 2025
The bacteria then colonize the intestinal tract and produce neurotoxins that can lead to constipation, weakness, breathing problems and even respiratory arrest.
—Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 16 Dec. 2025
Symptoms can also include low muscle tone, difficulty sucking and swallowing, weak or altered cry, generalized weakness, respiratory difficulty, and possible respiratory arrest.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025
The symptoms can grow more serious: difficulty breathing, respiratory arrest.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 16 Nov. 2025
Low levels of phosphate and potassium in the blood can cause cardiac and respiratory arrest; low levels of thiamine can damage the brain.
—Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2025
Wilson’s death was announced by his family on June 11, with TMZ reporting that the musician’s immediate cause of death was respiratory arrest, with sepsis and cystitis listed as contributing causes.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 8 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Respiratory arrest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/respiratory%20arrest. Accessed 1 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share