prescription drug

noun

Synonyms of prescription drugnext
: a drug that can be obtained only by means of a physician's prescription

Examples of prescription drug in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
AFPs have defended their practices as both legal and safe and say their businesses are an antidote to high prescription drug prices. — Melissa Lee,paige Tortorelli,scott Zamost, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2026 Millions of older Americans who are already struggling with rising gas and food prices will soon have to pay more for prescription drugs, said Anna Wilde Mathews in The Wall Street Journal. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 13 Aug. 2026 On stocks two boxes of long-acting insulin pens from California’s new prescription drug label, CalRx, emblazoned with the state’s iconic grizzly bear. — Angela Hart — Kff Health News, STAT, 13 Aug. 2026 The Inflation Reduction Act had very significant impacts on Part D prescription drug coverage and costs. — Diane Omdahl, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prescription drug

Word History

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of prescription drug was in 1872

Rhymes for prescription drug

See All Rhymes for prescription drug

Browse Nearby Words

prescription
prescription drug
prescriptionist
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Prescription drug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prescription%20drug. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Medical Definition

prescription drug

noun
: a drug that can be obtained only by means of a physician's prescription

More from Merriam-Webster on prescription drug

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for prescription drug

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of balmy

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All