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.
Social Security beneficiaries may also have premiums deducted from their monthly checks for Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage or private Medicare Advantage insurance. Lorie Konish, CNBC, 9 Jan. 2026 Today, more than 70% of Americans take a prescription drug, and an American born in 2020 can expect to spend fully half their life taking one medication or another. Thomas Goetz, STAT, 8 Jan. 2026 Trump on Tuesday also encouraged House Republicans to promote their collective record regarding increasing border security, decreasing prescription drug prices, and criticizing former President Joe Biden’s reliance on an autopen going into the 2026 elections. Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 7 Jan. 2026 Economists and health‑policy experts counter that even aggressive savings in prescription drugs and billing reform would only touch part of what is driving a $38 trillion debt built on structural deficits, rising interest costs and political gridlock. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 6 Jan. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Prescription drug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prescription%20drug. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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