performance-enhancing drug

noun

: a substance (such as an anabolic steroid, human growth hormone, or erythropoietin) that is used illicitly to improve athletic performance

In the United States, more than 1 million elite and recreational athletes use performance-enhancing drugs for muscle building purposes.

—Josiah D. Rich et al.

…33 of the 48 major and minor league players suspended by baseball for using performance-enhancing drugs since the start of 2006 were pitchers.

—Sean Gregory

Roger Bannister, the first person to run a subpar four-minute mile, said today he thought that increased use of blood testing could help curb the use of performance-enhancing drugs by track and field athletes.

—The New York Times

—abbreviation PED

Examples of performance-enhancing drug in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

When evaluating and projecting player performance, MLB teams for many years have tried to account for whether a player has or will use performance-enhancing drugs. —Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Apr. 2025

Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar will be suspended for the next 80 games for violating MLB's policy on performance-enhancing drugs. —Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 31 Mar. 2025

Former police chief Shane Marlin, four officers and one of the officers’ wives were indicted on charges that included mishandling or tampering with evidence and using performance-enhancing drugs. —Janelle Griffith, NBC News, 11 Mar. 2025

In 2010, Judge Walton oversaw Clemens’ arraignment on charges of lying to Congress about his use of performance-enhancing drugs. —Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 3 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1973, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for performance-enhancing drug

• antidrug
• mealybug
• multidrug
• chug
• doug
• dug
• hug
• jug
• lug
• mug
• plug
• pug