medicate
verb
med·i·cate
ˈme-di-ˌkāt 
medicated; medicating
1
: to treat (someone or something) with or as if with medicine
medicate a condition
was medicated for pain/depression
… is happily living his life one day at a time since he stopped drinking and otherwise medicating himself …—
Charles Leerhsen
Charles Leerhsen2
: to impregnate with a medicinal substance
medicated soap
Examples of medicate in a Sentence
The patient had been heavily medicated.
Recent Examples on the Web
The decision to medicate should always be discussed with a clinician, Freeman advised, especially for those with a personal or family history of cardiovascular events.
—Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 9 June 2026
Flight attendants are also trained to monitor passengers for signs of intoxication, Laurie says, which can sometimes create confusion about whether a traveler is anxious, medicated, or both.
—Jill Robbins, Travel + Leisure, 5 June 2026
While in foster care, the daughter was involuntarily hospitalized and forcibly medicated, while the toddler and his brother started bed-wetting and engaging in self-harm.
—Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 28 May 2026
Speaking with the Tribune on Monday, Talley’s mother, Tamika Vaughen, said her son has been in and out of treatment facilities and medicated for mental health challenges his entire life.
—Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for medicate
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Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 9 June 2026
Flight attendants are also trained to monitor passengers for signs of intoxication, Laurie says, which can sometimes create confusion about whether a traveler is anxious, medicated, or both.
—Jill Robbins, Travel + Leisure, 5 June 2026
While in foster care, the daughter was involuntarily hospitalized and forcibly medicated, while the toddler and his brother started bed-wetting and engaging in self-harm.
—Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 28 May 2026
Speaking with the Tribune on Monday, Talley’s mother, Tamika Vaughen, said her son has been in and out of treatment facilities and medicated for mental health challenges his entire life.
—Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for medicate
Cite this Entry
“Medicate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/medicate. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
medicate
transitive verb
med·i·cate
ˈmed-ə-ˌkāt
medicated; medicating
1
: to treat medicinally
2
: to impregnate with a medicinal substance
medicated soap
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