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

Every player with 500 is in the Hall of Fame, except for those connected to performance-enhancing drugs. — Chris Kirschner, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026

Moses would go on to win two more Olympic medals, break several records and become one of sport’s leading advocates in addressing pay equity and combating the use of performance-enhancing drugs. — Nicole Bennett, AJC.com, 21 Aug. 2026

But adding a few questions that routinely ask about supplement use, performance-enhancing drug use, and excessive or compulsive exercise could help improve identification and earlier diagnosis in pediatric and adult primary care. — Ashleigh N. Deluca, STAT, 20 Aug. 2026

Fitness built on discipline Kravitz also emphasized that his physique comes without performance-enhancing drugs. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 15 July 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