1
a
: the measured quantity of a therapeutic agent to be taken at one time
b
: the quantity of radiation administered or absorbed
2
: a portion of a substance added during a process
3
: an amount of something likened to a prescribed or measured quantity of medicine
a daily dose of hard work
a dose of scandal
4
: a gonorrheal infection
dosed; dosing
1
: to give a dose to
especially
: to give medicine to
2
: to divide into doses
dose a medicine
3
: to treat with an application or agent
Examples of dose in a Sentence
Noun
I've been taking the same dose for five years.
a large dose of vitamin C
The drug is lethal even in small doses.
a large dose of sugar
a high dose of radiation
Her parents hoped a daily dose of hard work would keep her out of trouble.
He needs a good dose of reality.
Verb
Most patients are dosed at 50 milligrams per day.
Recent Examples on the Web
Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
That's based on the California Proposition 65 maximum allowable dose level for lead.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 16 Oct. 2025
PC Magazine, 15 Oct. 2025
With their son’s pancreas no longer functioning, Damiano and Milgrome had to take over the organ’s work by measuring every gram of carbohydrate David ate and dosing the right amount of insulin.
—Carrie Arnold, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dose
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Using a similar method as the one scientists follow to determine the animals responsible for fossilized footprints — but with a dose of lightheartedness — Granatosky and his colleagues carried out the first scientific analysis of the imprint, published Tuesday in the journal Biology Letters.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
That's based on the California Proposition 65 maximum allowable dose level for lead.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
The side brush reaching into corners is clutch, and detergent auto-dosing saves guesswork.
—PC Magazine, 15 Oct. 2025
With their son’s pancreas no longer functioning, Damiano and Milgrome had to take over the organ’s work by measuring every gram of carbohydrate David ate and dosing the right amount of insulin.
—Carrie Arnold, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dose
Cite this Entry
“Dose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dose. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dose
1 of 2 noun1
a
: the measured amount of a medicine to be taken at one time
b
: the quantity of radiation given or absorbed
2
: a portion of a substance added during a process
3
: an experience to which one is exposed
a dose of hard work
dose
2 of 2 verb
dosed; dosing
1
: to give medicine to
2
: to treat with something
Medical Definition
dose
1 of 2 noun1
a
: the measured quantity of a therapeutic agent to be taken at one time
b
: the quantity of radiation administered or absorbed
2
: a gonorrheal infection
dose
2 of 2 verb
dosed; dosing
1
: to divide (as a medicine) into doses
2
: to give a dose to
especially
: to give medicine to
3
: to treat with an application or agent
: to take medicine
he is forever dosing but he gets worse
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