hormone therapy

noun

: the therapeutic use of hormones: such as

a

: the administration of hormones especially to increase diminished levels in the body

especially : hormone replacement therapy

b

: therapy involving the use of drugs or surgical procedures to suppress the production of or to inhibit the effects of a hormone (such as estrogen or testosterone)

hormone therapy to treat breast or prostate cancer

c

: the administration or use of sex hormones (such as estrogen or testosterone) or other agents (such as antiandrogens) to suppress or induce the development of certain secondary sex characteristics to better align with the gender identity of a transgender or gender nonconforming individual

Many transgender people take lifelong hormone therapy …

—Carina Storrs

Examples of hormone therapy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But that doesn’t mean hormone therapy can be recommended to prevent dementia. — Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 16 Sep. 2026

Treating every tired, low-energy man with hormone therapy risks missing the actual driver of his symptoms. — Malana Vantyler, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026

Many women turn to menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) for help managing symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats. — Jamie Ducharme, HEALTH, 8 Sep. 2026

However, late last year, the FDA began removing some of those warnings, changing the conversation around hormone therapy. — Erin Jones, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hormone therapy

• immunotherapy
• pharmacotherapy
• physiotherapy
• radiotherapy
• brachytherapy
• chemotherapy
• cryotherapy
• hydrotherapy
• hypnotherapy
• monotherapy
• phototherapy
• psychotherapy

Medical Definition

hormone therapy

noun

variants or hormonal therapy

: the therapeutic use of hormones: as

a

: the administration of hormones especially to increase diminished levels in the body

especially : hormone replacement therapy

b

: therapy involving the use of drugs or surgical procedures to suppress the production of or inhibit the effects of a hormone (as estrogen or testosterone)

hormone therapy to treat breast or prostate cancer

c

: the administration or use of sex hormones or other agents (as antiandrogens) to suppress or induce the development of certain secondary sex characteristics to better align with the gender identity of an individual

Many transgender people take lifelong hormone therapy …

—Carina Storrs