performance-enhancing drug

noun

: a substance (such as an anabolic steroid, human growth hormone, or erythropoietin) that is used illicitly to improve athletic performance

In the United States, more than 1 million elite and recreational athletes use performance-enhancing drugs for muscle building purposes.

—Josiah D. Rich et al.

…33 of the 48 major and minor league players suspended by baseball for using performance-enhancing drugs since the start of 2006 were pitchers.

—Sean Gregory

Roger Bannister, the first person to run a subpar four-minute mile, said today he thought that increased use of blood testing could help curb the use of performance-enhancing drugs by track and field athletes.

—The New York Times

—abbreviation PED

Examples of performance-enhancing drug in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Garcia continued to work with James during his 2024 victory over Devin Haney, which was reversed to a no contest because Garcia tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug. —Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026

Others on the Hall of Fame ballot, such as Manny Ramirez and ex-Yankee Alex Rodriguez, served suspensions for performance-enhancing drugs after MLB began testing for such substances. —Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026

Sams got his start in the field in the mid-1970s, joining Ohio State’s horse racing laboratory just as methamphetamine was gaining recognition as an increasingly prevalent, illicit performance-enhancing drug given to horses. —Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 21 Jan. 2026

The other seven who aren’t are either tied to performance-enhancing drugs (Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Rafael Palmeiro, Gary Sheffield, Manny Ramirez) or are not yet eligible for the Hall of Fame (Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera). —Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 20 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1973, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for performance-enhancing drug

• antidrug
• mealybug
• multidrug
• chug
• doug
• dug
• hug
• jug
• lug
• mug
• plug
• pug