methamphetamine

noun meth·am·phet·amine \ ˌme-tham-ˈfe-tə-ˌmēn , -thəm- , -mən \

Updated on: 11 Apr 2018

Definition of methamphetamine

: a synthetic or semisynthetic compound C₁₀H₁₅N that stimulates the central nervious system, is used medically in the form of its crystalline hydrochloride C₁₀H₁₅N·HCl especially to treat attention deficit disorder and obesity, and that is often abused illicitly for its stimulant properties

… methamphetamine is a powerful addictive stimulant whose longtime consumers tend to suffer from paranoia, depression, hallucinations, and violent rages.
—William Finnegan

— called also meth, methedrine, speed; compare crystal meth

See methamphetamine defined for kids

Recent Examples of methamphetamine from the Web

In the past, methamphetamine on the street was 60 to 70 percent pure.

— michelle theriault boots, Anchorage Daily News, "The silent fallout of the opioid epidemic? Meth.," 30 Mar. 2018
Bergkamp was arrested and charged with stalking, criminal damage to property, aggravated burglary and possession of methamphetamine.

— josh magness, miamiherald, "Cops couldn’t find her ex, but then he fell through the ceiling with a knife and meth, Kansas police say | Miami Herald," 30 Mar. 2018
Police and drug enforcement agency officials said Tuesday that nearly 124,000 drug dealers and users had been arrested since the beginning of July 2016 and that 2,620 tons of methamphetamine had been seized in the drug war.

— jake maxwell watts, WSJ, "Body Count Piles Up in Philippine Drug War," 27 Mar. 2018
Officials say investigators seized more than $6 million as well as weapons and large quantities of drugs including methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana.

— Fox News, "Dozens charged in US with conspiring to launder drug cash," 8 Mar. 2018
The wiretaps began in December 2017 as part of an investigation into Javier Rodriguez, who Drug Enforcement Administration agents suspect led a local methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and marijuana trafficking operation.

— matthew glowicki, The Courier-Journal, "Federal records: Wiretaps unravel Louisville drug trafficking, January slaying," 2 Mar. 2018
Crystal methamphetamine and cocaine are Schedule II drugs—which means the feds consider meth safer than marijuana.

— gogo lidz, Newsweek, "Women in Weed: How Legal Marijuana Could Be the First Billion-Dollar Industry Not Dominated by Men," 20 Aug. 2015
Beatrix Caroline Nguyen is charged in Johnson County District Court with felony aggravated child endangerment and possession of methamphetamine.

— tony rizzo, kansascity, "Mother charged in 2017 death of infant at Overland Park hotel | The Kansas City Star," 23 Mar. 2018
The rise of the CJNG also has come with the growing availability of methamphetamine in the United States and other major consumer markets, according to the report.

— sandra dibble, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Rise of new cartel leading to more violence, USD study shows," 20 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'methamphetamine.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of methamphetamine

1949

Medical Dictionary

methamphetamine

noun meth·am·phet·amine \ ˌmeth-am-ˈfet-ə-ˌmēn, ˌmeth-əm-, -mən \

medical Definition of methamphetamine

: an amine C₁₀H₁₅N that is used medically in the form of its crystalline hydrochloride C₁₀H₁₅N·HCl especially to treat attention deficit disorder and obesity and that is often abused illicitly as a stimulant — called also meth, methedrine, methylamphetamine, speed