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

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

That December, former Senator George Mitchell released a report on performance-enhancing drug use in baseball, which implicated Clemens and Andy Pettitte, among other high-profile players. —Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 20 Feb. 2025

Court records offered some additional details about the accusations, which include the mishandling of evidence, use of performance-enhancing drugs and unauthorized access to a law enforcement database. —Neil Vigdor, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025

Eleven days later, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Assn. determined that Garcia had tested positive for Ostarine, a performance-enhancing drug that can stimulate muscle growth, the day before and the day of the fight. —Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2024

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