pharmacotherapy

noun

phar·​ma·​co·​ther·​a·​py ˌfär-mə-kō-ˈther-ə-pē 

: the treatment of disease and especially mental illness with drugs

Examples of pharmacotherapy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Every major clinical guideline frames pharmacotherapy as adjunct to, not a replacement for, lifestyle and environmental intervention. — Torie Bosch, STAT, 18 July 2026

Some focused on directly modifying smoking behavior, aligning with standard clinical SC guidelines, and others served as adjuncts to interventions that relied on pharmacotherapy. — New Atlas, 13 Jan. 2026

The weight loss interventions studied included low-energy diets, an exercise program accompanied by healthy eating advice and pharmacotherapy accompanied by diet and physical activity advice. — Hannah Millington, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025

Situations where people have more than one diagnosis may also be best treated through a combination of psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy. — Bryan Cochran, Discover Magazine, 12 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1903, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for pharmacotherapy

• immunotherapy
• physiotherapy
• radiotherapy
• brachytherapy
• chemotherapy
• cryotherapy
• hydrotherapy
• hypnotherapy
• monotherapy
• phototherapy
• psychotherapy
• sclerotherapy

Medical Definition

pharmacotherapy

noun

phar·​ma·​co·​ther·​a·​py ˌfär-mə-kō-ˈther-ə-pē 

plural pharmacotherapies

: the treatment of disease and especially mental illness with drugs