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
Typically affecting those ages 10 to 30, treatment usually involves antibiotics and generally surgery to remove the appendix. — Clare Fisher, PEOPLE, 19 Aug. 2026 Donations of antibiotics, bandages, blood pressure monitors and other equipment have been helpful, but the hospital still needs wheelchairs and more beds. — ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
Adjective
The result was a fresh, antibiotic-free bird that’s marinated in a signature brine before being fried in rice bran oil, which co-founder Aaron Noveshen says gives it a lighter taste and better crunch. — Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026 Dawicki hopes the test will reduce the unnecessary use of antibiotics, and slow the current march toward antibiotic resistance that has already rendered several antibiotics ineffective. — Alice Park, Time, 7 Aug. 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
  • Grande became the face of an ongoing conversation around health, and the cultural pendulum swing away from body positivity to the glorification of thinness, ignited by the proliferation of weight-loss drugs.
    — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Researchers spent decades trying to target a group of mutations called RAS — responsible for nearly a third of all human cancers — but the protein’s flat shape defied typical drugs.
    — Tasneem Nashrulla, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 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
  • Use a mild soap or a food-safe antibacterial or disinfectant wipe to clean the interior.
    — Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 17 Aug. 2026
  • This powerful cleaning solution has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties.
    — Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of antibacterial
Noun
  • My father had left academic medicine to open a solo surgical practice, and billing meant someone had to sit in front of a typewriter and create claims one by one.
    — Forbes.com, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Still, charismatic leaders who have pushed for dollarization have failed to date, suggesting that the patient may not want the money doctor’s medicine.
    — Shawn Tully, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of medicine
Adjective
  • Rocha Moya faces federal charges, including narcotics importation conspiracy and possession of machine guns and destructive devices, along with another conspiracy count.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The Los Angeles fires in 2025 (also called the Palisades and Eaton fires) damaged or destroyed more than 18,000 structures, making them among California’s most destructive wildfires.
    — Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 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
  • For now, Neda, a 34-year-old Tehran resident struggling with kidney disease and needing medication, is holding her breath as she is once again forced to buy only half of her monthly dose.
    — Leila Gharagozlou, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Clancy then ingested prescription medication, slashed her wrists and neck with a knife, and apparently threw herself head first out of a second-story window, resulting in permanent paralysis from the sternum down.
    — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of medication
Adjective
  • Our absolute priority right now is providing unwavering support to their families, friends and teammates during this devastating time.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Our absolute priority right now is providing unwavering support to their families, friends, and teammates during this devastating time.
    — Jack Moore, ABC News, 21 Aug. 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 28 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on antibiotic

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about antibiotic

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