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

This was a betrayal for his fans, who took issue with the all-natural, back-to-the-earth influencer regularly consuming synthesized performance-enhancing drugs. —Randall Colburn, EW.com, 14 May 2025

Tatis finished third in the National League MVP balloting in 2021 but missed the 2022 season due to wrist surgery and a suspension following a performance-enhancing drug test. —Steve Berman, New York Times, 3 May 2025

But she had been provisionally suspended after testing positive for trace amounts of a performance-enhancing drug. —Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 1 May 2025

Cole guessed that Clemens’ staying power had a lot to do with his mechanics, though The Rocket has long been linked to performance-enhancing drugs. —Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 24 Feb. 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