dopamine

noun

do·​pa·​mine ˈdō-pə-ˌmēn 

: a monoamine C₈H₁₁NO₂ that is a decarboxylated form of dopa and that occurs especially as a neurotransmitter in the brain

Examples of dopamine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The dopamine hits didn’t last, of course, and Sennott eventually evolved past that way of thinking, but by that point her online persona had become a means to achieve her artistic goals. —Selome Hailu, Variety, 23 Oct. 2025

With powerful video models now available to anyone with a browser, the internet will soon flood with high-volume, high-intensity clips engineered for shock, irony, or dopamine. —Victor Riparbelli, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2025

According to Coetzee, this fuels the brain with more glucose, which in turn boosts levels of key neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine. —Kathleen Ferraro, Verywell Health, 22 Oct. 2025

Our amygdala is overactive, our nervous systems are fried and our dopamine cycles are hijacked by short-term stimuli. —Chris Schembra, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

dopa + amine

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for dopamine

• acrolein
• adenine
• alkylene
• aniline
• anthracene
• aquiline
• asphaltene
• atlantean
• atrazine
• butadiene
• butylene
• caesarean

Medical Definition

dopamine

noun

do·​pa·​mine ˈdō-pə-ˌmēn 

: a monoamine C₈H₁₁NO₂ that is a decarboxylated form of dopa and occurs especially as a neurotransmitter in the brain and as an intermediate in the biosynthesis of epinephrine see intropin