prescription drug

noun

: a drug that can be obtained only by means of a physician's prescription

Examples of prescription drug in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
On healthcare, and specifically prescription drug policy, Congress has been known to punt on reforms, including initiatives with respect to Pharmacy Benefit Managers and drug patents. Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025 Take beta-blockers: At high doses, green tea may reduce blood levels and inhibit the effectiveness of a prescription drug called Corgard (nadolol)—a beta-blocker prescribed to treat high blood pressure and some heart diseases. Lindsay Curtis, Verywell Health, 4 Apr. 2025 More than a fifth of U.S. adults take at least five prescription drugs as chronic disease becomes increasingly prevalent, the CDC reports. Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Apr. 2025 Health care remains stubbornly unaffordable for millions of people, according to a new survey released Wednesday that underscores the struggle many people have in paying for a doctor’s visit or a prescription drug — even before any talk of cutting government coverage. Reed Abelson, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for prescription drug

Word History

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of prescription drug was in 1872

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Cite this Entry

“Prescription drug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prescription%20drug. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

Medical Definition

prescription drug

noun
: a drug that can be obtained only by means of a physician's prescription

More from Merriam-Webster on prescription drug

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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