contraindication
noun
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For doctors, an indication is a symptom or circumstance that makes a particular medical treatment desirable. Serious anxiety, for example, is often an indication for prescribing a tranquilizer. A contraindication, then, is a symptom or condition that makes a treatment risky, such as taking certain other medications at the same time. Drugs and conditions that are contraindicated for a medication are listed on its label, and reeled off at high speed in TV ads. Patients can guard against the dangers of drug interaction by reading labels carefully and making sure their doctors know what else they're currently taking.
Examples of contraindication in a Sentence
Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 8 Oct. 2025
The policy ends a loophole dating to 1997 that allowed drug companies to note information such as full contraindications and common precautions on webpages and toll-free numbers.
—Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
These therapies require careful screening, have contraindications, and aren’t appropriate for all patients.
—Andre Mouchard, Oc Register, 18 Aug. 2025
This evolution will steadily progress to passive monitoring, for instance, checking prescription drug dosages, identifying potential interactions and flagging contraindications.
—London Business School, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Contraindication.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contraindication. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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contraindication
noun
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