placebo effect
noun
: improvement in the condition of a patient that occurs in response to treatment but cannot be considered due to the specific treatment used
Examples of placebo effect in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Recognizing a placebo’s intrinsic value as something that can improve pain, however, scientists are now investigating the placebo effect on the endogenous opioid system.
—
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2025
Hargens, the 34-year-old who’s long struggled with her weight, is similarly unbothered by the concept of her experience with the patches being chalked up to the placebo effect.
—Fortesa Latifi, Rolling Stone, 9 Aug. 2025
Research published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology said the benefits of placentophagy (the medical way to say eating placenta) are likely a result of the placebo effect.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 6 Aug. 2025
The Batman Effect Is Real The placebo effect isn’t just about pills.
—David Meade, Forbes.com, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for placebo effect
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2025
Hargens, the 34-year-old who’s long struggled with her weight, is similarly unbothered by the concept of her experience with the patches being chalked up to the placebo effect.
—Fortesa Latifi, Rolling Stone, 9 Aug. 2025
Research published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology said the benefits of placentophagy (the medical way to say eating placenta) are likely a result of the placebo effect.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 6 Aug. 2025
The Batman Effect Is Real The placebo effect isn’t just about pills.
—David Meade, Forbes.com, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for placebo effect
Cite this Entry
“Placebo effect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/placebo%20effect. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share