placebo

noun

pla·​ce·​bo plə-ˈsē-(ˌ)bō 

plural placebos

1

a

: a usually pharmacologically inert preparation prescribed more for the mental relief of the patient than for its actual effect on a disorder

b

: an inert or innocuous substance used especially in controlled experiments testing the efficacy of another substance (such as a drug)

2

: something tending to soothe

Did you know?

Doctors doing research on new treatments for disease often give one group a placebo while a second group takes the new medication. Since those in the placebo group usually believe they're getting the real thing, their own hopeful attitude may bring about improvement in their condition. Thus, for the real drug to be considered effective, it must produce even better results than the placebo. Placebos have another use as well. A doctor who suspects that a patient's physical symptoms are psychologically produced may prescribe a placebo in the hope that mentally produced symptoms can also be mentally cured.

Examples of placebo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Both trials involved randomly administering placebos and the active drug, and all participants were able to use ibuprofen if the pain became too great. —Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2025

Out of 30 university badminton players between the ages of 19 and 22, half consumed a probiotic drink daily for six weeks, and the rest were given orange juice as a placebo. —Julia Ries, Outside Online, 29 Jan. 2025

Half of the cohort was given five grams of oral creatine monohydrate daily, while the other half was given equal amounts of a starch placebo. —Rich Haridy, New Atlas, 29 Jan. 2025

Patients who took a 2.4-milligram dose of the semaglutide lost 17.5% of their weight, while people given a placebo lost just 2.4% of their weight over that time. —William Gavin, Quartz, 17 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin, I shall please

First Known Use

1785, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing placebo

• placebo effect

Kids Definition

placebo

noun

pla·​ce·​bo plə-ˈsē-bō 

plural placebos

1

: a medicine that usually has no effect on a disease and is prescribed by a doctor for the mental relief it offers a patient

2

something that is meant to soothe

Etymology

from Latin placebo "I shall please"

Medical Definition

placebo

noun

pla·​ce·​bo plə-ˈsē-(ˌ)bō 

plural placebos

1

: a usually pharmacologically inert preparation prescribed more for the mental relief of the patient than for its actual effect on a disorder

2

: an inert or innocuous substance used especially in controlled experiments testing the efficacy of another substance (as a drug)