prescription drug

noun

: 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.
The amount of drugs seized from March to September — the six months in 2020 when Florida’s prisons were locked down — stood at 3,100 grams of powdered drugs and separately 1,000 pills of opioids and unauthorized prescription drugs for every 10,000 inmates. Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025 Under the deal, the two drug companies agreed to sell GLP-1 injections for a monthly price of $350 when purchased via TrumpRx, a discount platform for purchasing prescription drugs with cash. Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025 That gap is due to a complex drug-payment model that involves pharmacy benefit mangers who manage prescription drug benefits for insurance companies and employers, and have utilized their mass buying power to drive drug prices up. Alice Park, Time, 6 Nov. 2025 On TrumpRx — the government’s discount platform for buying prescription drugs with cash — the average monthly cost for Wegovy and Zepbound will start at $350 and drop to $250 within the next two years, according to senior administration officials. Berkeley Lovelace Jr, NBC news, 6 Nov. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Prescription drug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prescription%20drug. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.

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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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