antibiotic 1 of 2

noun

Definition of antibioticnext
as in drug
medical a substance that is used to kill harmful bacteria and to cure infections

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antibiotic

2 of 2

adjective

1
as in biocidal

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Dissimilar Words
2
as in antibacterial

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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of antibiotic
Noun
The next conversation to have with your doctor isn’t about a stronger antibiotic. — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 19 Oct. 2026 And the common cold and the flu are viral infections, so they can't be treated by prescription antibiotics anyway. — Andee Tagle, NPR, 15 Oct. 2026
Adjective
The European Union recently banned Brazilian beef imports over concerns about antibiotic use and food-safety standards, Forbes reported. — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2026 Sugary foods combined with antibiotic treatment can damage the gut microbiome in ways that could leave people vulnerable to dangerous infections, a new study shows. — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for antibiotic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for antibiotic
  1. drug
  2. biocidal
  3. antibacterial
  4. medicine
  5. destructive
  6. germicidal
  7. medication
  8. devastating
Noun
  • Imprisoned since 2004 and serving a life sentence, Buchanan was accused of directing drug sales, extortion, gambling and violence across San Diego County and beyond.
    — Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • They were showered with expensive clothes, spa treatments, and drugs, and given weekly allowances ranging from $150 to $200.
    — Samantha Bergeson, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of drug
Adjective
  • Developed in partnership with British company Indestructible Paint, the coating consists of that firm's conventional clear gloss resin along with a 2% concentration of a broad-spectrum biocidal agent known as chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX).
    — Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 23 Apr. 2025
  • Schuerger’s team is also expanding their tests to see how organisms respond to additional biocidal factors.
    — National Geographic, National Geographic, 25 Sep. 2016
Definition of biocidal
Adjective
  • Scale back sulfur-rich foods, pour more water, build meals around fruits and vegetables, and keep a consistent bathing routine with antibacterial soap.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Cleveland Clinic says the most effective prevention is a consistent and thorough bathing routine with regular showers and antibacterial soap focused on areas where apocrine glands sit, like the groin and armpits.
    — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of antibacterial
Noun
  • The first step will be to clarify what people need and organize the delivery of food, medicine, hygiene products and other essentials, Lantratova said in an online statement.
    — BEN FINLEY, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
  • There is not enough scientific evidence to recommend mouth tape as a treatment for snoring or sleep disorders, according to pediatric sleep medicine specialist Brian Chen, MD.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of medicine
Adjective
  • What differentiates this wave of sudden wealth syndrome from the dot-com era, DiFuria said, is that people are making money from a technology many consider destructive—including some of the people building it.
    — Molly A. Wallace, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • In one memorable scene, Mari takes to a whiteboard to explain the destructive workings of capitalism, a lengthy, potentially didactic exercise that Okamoto transforms into an unexpectedly intimate exchange.
    — Lisa Wong Macabasco, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of destructive
Adjective
  • The Whitney has a fumigation guy who uses a process called ultraviolet germicidal irradiation.
    — Jake Offenhartz, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025
  • Humans have known for over a hundred years that UV radiation can kill deadly germs, and hospitals have used germicidal 254-nm UVC to sterilize objects for decades.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 8 Mar. 2023
Definition of germicidal
Noun
  • Awaiting news Banda had just started a new cancer-targeting medication that cost $16,000 a month, reduced to $500 by insurance.
    — Jesse Bedayn, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Physician visits and medication for pain management added another $1,000.
    — Lance B. Fulford, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of medication
Adjective
  • As a super El Niño intensifies in the Pacific Ocean, coastal beach erosion is devastating Southern California and beyond.
    — Devika Rao, TheWeek, 23 Oct. 2026
  • But this same resilience can make wars longer and more devastating.
    — Tatiana Mitrova, Foreign Affairs, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of devastating

Browse Nearby Words

antibacterial
antibiotic
antibiotics
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Cite this Entry

“Antibiotic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antibiotic. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on antibiotic

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about antibiotic

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