overprescribe

verb

over·​pre·​scribe ˌō-vər-pri-ˈskrīb 

overprescribed; overprescribing

transitive + intransitive

: to prescribe (a medication, diagnostic test, etc.) in excess or more often than necessary

The family of a man who fatally overdosed is suing his doctors claiming they overprescribed addictive pain medication.

—WPXI.com (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)

… tried … to warn the world against overprescribing antibiotics to a point that they would be useless.

—Network Ten (Australia)

Critics say Xanax is overprescribed and widely abused.

—Jane Velez-Mitchell

… the compelling and continuing issues of quality control and overprescribing in medical imaging …

—David J. Brenner and Hedvig Hricak

Why do doctors overprescribe? Is it about covering their backsides in this litigious society?

—Michael T. Osterholm and Mark Olshaker

Word History

First Known Use

1953, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

overprescribe

verb

over·​pre·​scribe -pri-ˈskrīb 

overprescribed; overprescribing

intransitive verb

: to prescribe excessive or unnecessary medication

transitive verb

: to prescribe (medication) unnecessarily or to excess

overprescription

-pri-ˈskrip-shən 

noun