medicate

verb

med·​i·​cate ˈme-di-ˌkāt 

medicated; medicating

transitive verb

1

: to treat (someone or something) with or as if with medicine

medicate a condition

was medicated for pain/depression

… is happily living his life one day at a time since he stopped drinking and otherwise medicating himself …

—Charles Leerhsen

2

: to impregnate with a medicinal substance

medicated soap

Examples of medicate in a Sentence

The patient had been heavily medicated.

Recent Examples on the Web

Yes, there was a splint on my nose and a small bandage on my ear, but the pain was minimal as I was still medicated—more pressure than anything sharp. — Victoria Oliva, Allure, 23 June 2026

Immediately consult your vet or an animal behaviorist in case of an emergency or to medicate an anxious pet before the fireworks. — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 3 July 2026

Family members told police that Pittman, who lived with his mother, was diagnosed with schizophrenia and had a history of violent behavior when not medicated. — Katie Langford, Denver Post, 28 Apr. 2026

While in foster care, the daughter was involuntarily hospitalized and forcibly medicated, while the toddler and his brother started bed-wetting and engaging in self-harm. — Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 28 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin medicatus, past participle of medicare to heal, from medicus

First Known Use

circa 1623, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing medicate

• self-medicate

Rhymes for medicate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate
• angulate

Medical Definition

medicate

transitive verb

med·​i·​cate ˈmed-ə-ˌkāt 

medicated; medicating

1

: to treat medicinally

2

: to impregnate with a medicinal substance

medicated soap