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

Trafford suspects the next new signing at Leeds will generate the same kind of excitement, the next dopamine hit. — Beren Cross, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026

Obviously everything else is more fun at this point, dopamine and TikTok and all of that. — Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 12 Aug. 2026

The surveillance state that’s constantly tracking American citizens’ dopamine levels is evidently fine with this, too. — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 5 Aug. 2026

That means there’s all the more pressure on the company to identify children with the je ne sais quoi to capture and maintain the eyes of a generation that’s always chasing its next dopamine hit. — Selome Hailu, Variety, 4 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

dopa + amine

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for dopamine

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

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