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
The author, who lived and worked in a cabin in Utopia, Texas had briefly been in hospice care.
—
Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 12 July 2025
The law also significantly expands the list of qualifying conditions to include post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic pain, traumatic brain injury, Crohn’s disease, terminal illness, and conditions treated under hospice or palliative care.
—Alonzo Martinez, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
Both sides agreed on the need to make improvements in palliative care and greater investments in hospices to ease suffering.
—Arkansas Online, 21 June 2025
In the end, Joshua’s House received the $3.5 million needed to build its hospice center.
—Jack Rodriquez-Vars, Sacbee.com, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hospice
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.
Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 12 July 2025
The law also significantly expands the list of qualifying conditions to include post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic pain, traumatic brain injury, Crohn’s disease, terminal illness, and conditions treated under hospice or palliative care.
—Alonzo Martinez, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
Both sides agreed on the need to make improvements in palliative care and greater investments in hospices to ease suffering.
—Arkansas Online, 21 June 2025
In the end, Joshua’s House received the $3.5 million needed to build its hospice center.
—Jack Rodriquez-Vars, Sacbee.com, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hospice
Cite this Entry
“Hospice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hospice. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share