septic shock
noun
: a severe form of sepsis that is associated with profound, life-threatening circulatory, cellular, and metabolic abnormalities, that is marked especially by increased capillary permeability and vasodilation resulting in persistent, dangerously low blood pressure and reduced blood flow despite fluid administration, and that leads to multiple organ failure
By many estimates, sepsis—and its most severe form, septic shock—is the leading cause of death for intensive care patients in the U.S. and the 10th most common cause of death for everyone else in the country.—
Maryn McKenna
Maryn McKennaExamples of septic shock in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Ashburnham, who was 42 at the time, then went into septic shock as her organs began shutting down.
—Lexi Lane, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
In those cases, staph can lead to blood infections, pneumonia, heart failure or stroke, or bone and joint infection and life-threatening conditions like sepsis and septic shock.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 13 May 2026
Ultimately, septic shock was what caused her death, which prematurely ended the battle that Fang Klein and her family were about to wage.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2026
Several cheetahs went into septic shock and died during a monsoon.
—Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for septic shock
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Lexi Lane, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
In those cases, staph can lead to blood infections, pneumonia, heart failure or stroke, or bone and joint infection and life-threatening conditions like sepsis and septic shock.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 13 May 2026
Ultimately, septic shock was what caused her death, which prematurely ended the battle that Fang Klein and her family were about to wage.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2026
Several cheetahs went into septic shock and died during a monsoon.
—Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for septic shock
Cite this Entry
“Septic shock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/septic%20shock. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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