sawbones

noun

ˈsȯ-ˌbōnz How to pronounce sawbones (audio)
Definition of sawbonesnext
slang
as in doctor
a person specially trained in healing human medical disorders a real old-timer who remembers when you could expect a sawbones to make a house call

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sawbones
  1. doctor
  2. physician
Noun
  • A lot of great people — doctors, nurses, administration — who really, really cared.
    — Madeleine Wright, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Merck and Moderna’s success with a personalized cancer vaccine designed to keep melanoma at bay opens a ​new avenue of treatment that doctors hope will work against many types of tumors.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of doctor
Noun
  • Epic’s announcement comes at a time health insurance business practices are under fire from patients, physicians, lawmakers and regulators at both the state and federal level to reduce or get rid of prior authorization.
    — Bruce Japsen, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Investigators said those charged Monday include five people who submitted applications with a physician's signature certifying that each was legally blind or unable to walk more than 200 feet because of disabilities, according to court records.
    — Larry Seward, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of physician
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.

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saw after
sawbones
sawbuck
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Cite this Entry

“Sawbones.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sawbones. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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