phar·ma·ceu·ti·cal
ˌfär-mə-ˈsü-ti-kəl 
: of, relating to, or engaged in pharmacy or the manufacture and sale of pharmaceuticals
a pharmaceutical company
: a medicinal drug
Examples of pharmaceutical in a Sentence
Adjective
lobbyists from the pharmaceutical industry
Noun
some pharmaceuticals can be quite risky unless taken correctly
Recent Examples on the Web
Dené K. Dryden, Twin Cities, 8 May 2026
One such brief came from more than 200 pharmaceutical companies, executives, and investors including Biogen, Pfizer, and Gilead.
—Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 8 May 2026
Jackie Fortiér, Miami Herald, 8 May 2026
Plastic waste powers chemistry Anilines are widely used in the production of pharmaceuticals, dyes, agrochemicals, and advanced materials.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for pharmaceutical
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Adjective
This spring, Minnesota state lawmakers are considering legislation (SF 3769/HF 3609) to further enforce compliance with the 340B program, which allows qualifying medical facilities to buy medications from pharmaceutical companies at a discount.
—Dené K. Dryden, Twin Cities, 8 May 2026
One such brief came from more than 200 pharmaceutical companies, executives, and investors including Biogen, Pfizer, and Gilead.
—Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 8 May 2026
Noun
For beneficiaries accustomed to paying a $5 or $10 copay for their pharmaceuticals, a $50 copay could still be a big financial barrier.
—Jackie Fortiér, Miami Herald, 8 May 2026
Plastic waste powers chemistry Anilines are widely used in the production of pharmaceuticals, dyes, agrochemicals, and advanced materials.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for pharmaceutical
Cite this Entry
“Pharmaceutical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pharmaceutical. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pharmaceutical
1 of 2 adjective
phar·ma·ceu·ti·cal
ˌfär-mə-ˈsüt-i-kəl
: of, relating to, or involved in pharmacy or the manufacture and sale of medicinal drugs
a pharmaceutical company
pharmaceutical
2 of 2 noun
: a drug or preparation used in medicine
Medical Definition
pharmaceutical
1 of 2 adjective
phar·ma·ceu·ti·cal
ˌfär-mə-ˈsüt-i-kəl
variants
also pharmaceutic
: of, relating to, or engaged in pharmacy or the manufacture and sale of pharmaceuticals
a pharmaceutical company
pharmaceutical
2 of 2 noun
variants
also pharmaceutic
: a medicinal drug
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