plural dopers
1
informal
a
: a person who frequently or habitually uses illicit drugs
He was a doper. He was loaded right now. Speed maybe. Or coke.—
Joseph Wambaugh
Joseph Wambaugh
b
: a person who sells illicit drugs
"Dopers are right on the cutting edge of technology," says Jimmy Davis of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. "It used to be that you weren't a certified dope dealer unless you had a beeper. Now you're not a big-time dope dealer unless you're cellular."—Terry E. Johnson et al.
Terry E. Johnson et al.2
informal
: an athlete who uses performance-enhancing substances typically banned for use in sports
Already athletes from Great Britain and Australia who finished behind drug-using East Germans have begun asking Olympic officials to disqualify the dopers and rewrite the record books accordingly.—Sports Illustrated
Sports IllustratedHuman growth hormone is another protein, already widely abused by dopers, that builds muscle and aids recovery.—Bicycling
BicyclingExamples of doper in a Sentence
the doper had to go straight—there would be some serious jail time if he didn't
Recent Examples on the Web
James had an even doper moment in store for the kid after the game.
—Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2025
In 1891 Butte, Mont., a reckless young poet and doper named Tom Rourke falls in love with Polly Gillespie, the new wife of the extremely devout captain of the local copper mine.
—Shannon Carlin, TIME, 27 June 2024
At the stationhouse, the two recent high school graduates were strip searched, and things weren’t looking good for a couple of longhaired dopers.
—Will Yakowicz, Forbes, 5 May 2023
Another 2003 drug-test revelation who copped to steroid use from 2001-2003, apologized profusely and then was exposed as a serial doper in the Biogenesis scandal, A-Rod debuted with just 34.3% of the vote.
—Gabe Lacques, USA TODAY, 25 Jan. 2022
Gatlin, remembered as a one-time doper and five-time Olympic medalist, tested positive for a steroid in 2006 and was suspended for eight years.
—Karen Mizoguchi, PEOPLE.com, 2 July 2021
That ability to pack an oxygen punch is what makes HBOCs a tempting target for a doper.
—Andrew Moseman, Discover Magazine, 20 Jan. 2011
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Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2025
In 1891 Butte, Mont., a reckless young poet and doper named Tom Rourke falls in love with Polly Gillespie, the new wife of the extremely devout captain of the local copper mine.
—Shannon Carlin, TIME, 27 June 2024
At the stationhouse, the two recent high school graduates were strip searched, and things weren’t looking good for a couple of longhaired dopers.
—Will Yakowicz, Forbes, 5 May 2023
Another 2003 drug-test revelation who copped to steroid use from 2001-2003, apologized profusely and then was exposed as a serial doper in the Biogenesis scandal, A-Rod debuted with just 34.3% of the vote.
—Gabe Lacques, USA TODAY, 25 Jan. 2022
Gatlin, remembered as a one-time doper and five-time Olympic medalist, tested positive for a steroid in 2006 and was suspended for eight years.
—Karen Mizoguchi, PEOPLE.com, 2 July 2021
That ability to pack an oxygen punch is what makes HBOCs a tempting target for a doper.
—Andrew Moseman, Discover Magazine, 20 Jan. 2011
Cite this Entry
“Doper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/doper. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
doper
noun
dop·er
ˈdō-pər 
: a person who frequently or habitually uses illicit drugs
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