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

Ahead of Sunday’s home opener against the San Francisco 49ers, Garoppolo slides back into the backup quarterback job behind Matthew Stafford after his suspension for performance-enhancing drug use that dated to his time with the Las Vegas Raiders. —Adam Grosbard, Orange County Register, 18 Sep. 2024

Re-sign Grover Stewart Stewart was suspended six games last year for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drugs policy, which could’ve jeopardized his future in Indianapolis. —James Boyd, The Athletic, 9 July 2024

Gipson signed with Jacksonville but had to serve a six-game suspension for violating the policy on performance-enhancing drugs and was released without playing in a game this season. —Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024

Judge would be the only player to do it who hasn’t been tied to performance-enhancing drugs. —Brendan Kuty, The Athletic, 25 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1973, in the meaning defined above