convalesce

verb con·va·lesce \ ˌkän-və-ˈles \

Updated on: 8 Dec 2017

Definition of convalesce

convalesced; convalescing

intransitive verb

: to recover health and strength gradually after sickness or weakness

He is convalescing from influenza.

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convalescence

play \ˌkän-və-ˈle-sᵊn(t)s\ noun

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convalescent

play \ˌkän-və-ˈle-sᵊnt\ adjective or noun

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Examples of convalesce in a Sentence

He is convalescing from his leg injuries.
the long months that the soldier spent in the hospital slowly convalescing

Recent Examples of convalesce from the Web

Three weeks Renae spent in the hospital, and three more convalescing at her parents’ home.

— eric adler, kansascity.com, "Girl meets boy with severed spine. Then her back also is broken — but not their faith," 1 June 2017
Whatever else the absence for at least a week of a convalescing Sen. John McCain R-Ariz.

— chris stirewalt, Fox News, "GOP uses up its margin for error," 17 July 2017
After leaving the hospital, Otter convalesced at home and worked from there for two weeks.

— cynthia sewell, idahostatesman, "As Idaho’s cowboy governor ages, experts say his surgeries carry more risks," 18 Aug. 2017
After skirmishing with convalescing soldiers and local militiamen around the Miamiville train bridge, Morgan withdrew.

— Cincinnati.com, "Column: Morgan invaded Clermont County in 1863," 26 July 2017
The seats in Minute Maid Park will be different than their usual spot next to each other in front of the TV in that room where Mark once convalesced.

— kevin acee, sandiegouniontribune.com, "It's no surprise San Diegan Joe Musgrove has made good with Astros," 4 Oct. 2017
Not long after her injury, Martin, formerly a wholesale sales representative in the women’s fashion industry, moved from Los Angeles to Sacramento to convalesce with her sister.

— hillary davis, Daily Pilot, "Art for any soul can be found at Balboa Island gift boutique," 8 Sep. 2017
He was forced to spend months convalescing alone in a remote shepherd’s cabin.

— javier pierini, Smithsonian, "The Naturalist Who Inspired Ernest Hemingway and Many Others to Love the Wilderness," 29 May 2017
At Longshaw Lodge in Derbyshire, England, the nurses who tended convalescing soldiers trooped out to the damp grounds to collect moss for their wounds.

— lorraine boissoneault, Smithsonian, "How Humble Moss Healed the Wounds of Thousands in World War I," 28 Apr. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'convalesce.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

When you convalesce, you heal or grow strong after illness or injury, often by staying off your feet. (The related adjective convalescent means "recovering from sickness or debility," and a "convalescent home" is a hospital for long-term recuperation and rehabilitation.) The word convalesce derives from Latin, from the prefix com- ("with, together, jointly") and the verb "valescere" ("to grow strong"). "Valescere," in turn, is related to the verb "valēre" ("to be strong or be well"), which is also an ancestor of "prevail," "valor," "value," and "valid."