gateway drug

noun

: a drug (such as alcohol or marijuana) whose use is thought to lead to the use of and dependence on a harder drug (such as cocaine or heroin)

Examples of gateway drug in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Makary has warned that marijuana is a gateway drug and not as safe as people think. —Will Yakowicz, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024

Fantasy leagues were a gateway drug for people who liked their sports with a heavy dose of statistical analysis. —Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 13 Oct. 2024

In some cases, the flame emoji is the gateway drug to cheating. —Olivia Petter, Vogue, 19 Aug. 2024

My gateway drug was a set reminiscent of an ice cream truck. —Abby Margolis Newman, The Mercury News, 16 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1981, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

gateway drug

noun

: a drug (as marijuana) whose use is thought to lead to the use of and dependence on a harder drug that is more addictive and harmful to health

Medical Definition

gateway drug

noun

gate·​way drug ˈgāt-ˌwā- 

: a drug (such as alcohol or marijuana) whose use is thought to lead to the use of and dependence on more dangerous, addicting substances (such as cocaine or heroin)

To end at the beginning, nicotine … is now considered a "gateway drug," as it commonly precedes and is comorbid with other substance use.

—Donald A. Henderson, The Journal of the American Medical Association