ECT

¹ American

abbreviation

electroconvulsive therapy.

ect- ² American

variant of ecto- before a vowel.

ectal.

ECT British

abbreviation

electroconvulsive therapy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

NHS Lothian said it was considering the use of intravenous ketamine as an alternative to ECT, but no decision had been made.

From BBC • Jun. 22, 2025

Tracey Gillies, executive medical director at NHS Lothian, said recent international studies suggested that the use of IV ketamine may be a cost-effective alternative to ECT.

From BBC • Jun. 22, 2025

More than half of those given ketamine showed improvement, compared with about 41% for those receiving ECT.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 22, 2023

While generally safe and effective, ECT does have drawbacks, including temporary confusion and cognitive impairment.

From Science Daily • Nov. 16, 2023

"The problem is that the brain is a very complicated organ, and ECT changes many things in the brain," he said.

From Salon • Sep. 4, 2023

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023