medicinal 1 of 2

adjective

mə-ˈdis-nəl
Definition of medicinalnext
1
as in healing
tending to cure disease or restore health even in Roman times the hot mineral springs of Bath, England, were believed to possess medicinal properties

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in healthy
beneficial to the health of body or mind if gin and tonic is the medicinal potion that he claims, then he's done a lot of self-medication of late

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

medicinal

2 of 2

noun

mə-ˈdis-nəl
as in drug
a substance or preparation used to treat disease the discovery that the plant is a potent medicinal once it has been refined

Synonyms & Similar 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 medicinal
Adjective
Many of the botanicals used in the medicinal treatments are grown onsite. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 The resulting powder was applied to skin or mixed into drinks and consumed, as it was thought to have medicinal properties. — Michele Metych Britannica Editors Sep. 29, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Sep. 2026
Noun
Others have a more functional endeavor, foraging for food or medicinals. — Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for medicinal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for medicinal
  1. healing
  2. healthy
  3. drug
  4. restorative
  5. good
  6. medicine
  7. remedial
  8. nutritional
Adjective
  • The compound also acts as a potent antioxidant, neutralizing unstable molecules that build up in non-healing wounds and cause cellular damage.
    — Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Other symptoms include non-healing or bleeding wounds and feeling or seeing the maggots.
    — Judy Stone, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
Definition of healing
Adjective
  • And while the new study was conducted only among cancer patients, Mak said more research could reveal whether similar findings may emerge among otherwise healthy people who may be interested in their longevity.
    — Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Sophie, mom Annie and her great-aunt comprised The 3 Suckers — a play on the small side shoots that can stunt the growth of healthy leaves.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of healthy
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
  • The following day, restorative massages in the hotel’s spa, Umari, were followed with relaxing strolls through the enchanting walled city.
    — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2026
  • And even for those who are just ordinarily stressed, being around horses can be calming and restorative — part of a somatic healing approach, which focuses on how the body holds on to emotions.
    — Ondine Cohane, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of restorative
Adjective
  • SpaceX shares jumped nearly 8% on Wednesday, their best single-session performance since August.
    — Morgan Chittum, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The two musicians are so good at aping the sounds they were raised on that originality and reference become one and the same.
    — Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of good
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
  • Graduation rates continue to rise, but the number of students who require remedial coursework after high school remains high.
    — Matt Williams, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Public agencies can buy from or encourage corporate procurers to buy from those AI providers that have complied with remedial measures or provided access to evaluators.
    — Bhaskar Chakravorti, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of remedial
Adjective
  • Pistachios are unlikely to resolve sleep issues on their own, especially when the root cause isn’t nutritional.
    — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Some common nutritional supplements include zinc for immune function, ashwagandha for stress relief, fish oil for improving heart health and magnesium for better sleep, among others that have gained popularity on social media.
    — Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of nutritional

Browse Nearby Words

medications
medicinal
medicinals
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All