thrombolytic

adjective

throm·​bo·​lyt·​ic ˌthräm-bə-ˈli-tik 

: destroying or breaking up a thrombus

a thrombolytic agent

thrombolytic therapy

thrombolysis

ˌthräm-ˈbä-lə-səs 

noun

Examples of thrombolytic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These include thrombolytic medications that dissolve clots, procedures to remove or break up clots or, rarely, surgery. —Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 18 Feb. 2026

Thrombolysis, also known as thrombolytic therapy or fibrinolytic therapy, is a treatment that dissolves blood clots to restore normal blood flow – an approach routinely used in emergencies, such as heart attacks, strokes, and severe blood clots in the lungs or legs. —Dan Schlossberg, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025

Examples of thrombolytic drugs include Activase (alteplase) and Retavase (reteplase).24 What Is a Myocardial Infarction? —Ayesha Gulzar, Verywell Health, 20 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for thrombolytic

• analytic
• anxiolytic
• astrocytic
• austenitic
• catalytic
• cytolytic
• dioritic
• diphtheritic
• dolomitic
• endophytic
• epiphytic
• glauconitic

Medical Definition

thrombolytic

1 of 2 adjective

throm·​bo·​lyt·​ic ˌthräm-bə-ˈlit-ik 

: destroying or breaking up a thrombus

a thrombolytic agent

thrombolytic therapy

thrombolysis

ˌthräm-ˈbäl-ə-səs 

noun

plural thrombolyses -ˌsēz 

thrombolytic

2 of 2 noun

: a thrombolytic drug (as streptokinase or urokinase) : clot-buster