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.
Johnson hopes her son could be helped by a prescription drug called leucovorin, which may help some children who have abnormally low levels of the vitamin folate in their brains. Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 5 Mar. 2026 Health insurers and employers that offer health insurance benefits use PBMs to negotiate prices and manage prescription drugs. Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 4 Mar. 2026 A lot of Black voters care about protecting Medicare, bringing down prescription drug prices. John C. Moritz, Austin American Statesman, 4 Mar. 2026 By doing so, Virginia would leapfrog plans by other states that are at varying stages of establishing their own prescription drug affordability boards. Ed Silverman, STAT, 4 Mar. 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 10 Mar. 2026.

Medical Definition

prescription drug

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

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