overmedicate

verb

over·​med·​i·​cate ˌō-vər-ˈme-də-ˌkāt 

overmedicated; overmedicating

transitive verb

: to administer too much medication to

Avoid overmedicating patients prior to surgery.

: to prescribe too much medication for

But some doctors are increasingly wary about overmedicating people with osteopenia.

—Harvard Health Letter

overmedicated adjective

But the question remains: Is America grossly overmedicated?

—Andrea Bartz

overmedication

ˌō-vər-ˌme-də-ˈkā-shən 

noun

Many others are victims of a system that traffics in superfluous equipment, unnecessary and potentially harmful surgery, overmedication, and questionable procedures.

—Consumer Reports

Examples of overmedicate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

If a cat is above or below the average weight range, it can be overmedicated or undermedicated. —Jennifer Manfrin, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2023

The same has been reported at Torrance, where many say they’re overmedicated with unidentified pills. —María Inés Taracena, The New Republic, 12 Apr. 2023

Editor’s note: In this Future View, students discuss being overmedicated. —WSJ, 21 Feb. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

overmedicate

verb

over·​med·​i·​cate -ˈmed-i-ˌkāt 

overmedicated; overmedicating

transitive verb

: to administer too much medication to : prescribe too much medication for

intransitive verb

: to administer or prescribe too much medication

overmedication

-ˌmed-i-ˈkā-shən 

noun