wonder drug

noun

: a drug usually newly discovered that elicits a dramatic positive response in a patient's condition : miracle drug
So far, Prozac is acting as something of a wonder drug; it is highly effective, causes few dangerous side effects, and is already the most widely prescribed antidepressant after just 4 years on the market.Ruth Levy Guyer and Daniel E. Koshland, Jr.
Stodgy old aspirin suddenly appears to be a wonder drug. But as often happens in medicine, the news hype may have overreached in search of hope.Steven Findlay

Examples of wonder drug in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Marijuana has long been lauded as a wonder drug for treating nausea and vomiting. Molly Sullivan, Sacramento Bee, 21 Feb. 2024 Trust me anyone who was fat last year and is now skinny is on the wonder drug. Kimi Robinson, USA TODAY, 9 Jan. 2024 History shows plenty of wonder drugs and treatments. Andy Kessler, WSJ, 26 Nov. 2023 Each day, messages from Nigerian princes, peddlers of wonder drugs and promoters of can’t-miss investments choke email inboxes. John Licato, Fortune, 20 Apr. 2023 In the past, some doctors regarded aspirin as something of a wonder drug, capable of protecting healthy patients against a future heart attack or stroke. Emily Baumgaertner, BostonGlobe.com, 26 July 2023 As Fentanyl Awareness Day arrived last week, the public got a fresh look at the extremes — lives lost to overdoses and lives saved by the wonder drug Naloxone. Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2023 In an era when investment scams tend toward the exotic — crypto-currencies, wonder drugs, cannabis — Oregon residents Robert D. Christensen and Anthony Matic are accused of running an operation that was decidedly low–tech. Jmanning, oregonlive, 30 June 2023 Industries like health care will be completely revolutionized through innovations and wonder drugs from A.I. and supercomputing. Stephen Pastis, Fortune, 1 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wonder drug.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1939, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wonder drug was in 1939

Dictionary Entries Near wonder drug

Cite this Entry

“Wonder drug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wonder%20drug. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

wonder drug

noun
: a usually newly discovered drug capable of producing a noticeable and favorable change in a patient's condition

called also miracle drug

Medical Definition

wonder drug

noun
won·​der drug ˈwənd-ər- How to pronounce wonder drug (audio)

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