as in drug
medical
a substance that is used to kill harmful bacteria and to cure infections
Related Words
Relevance
1
as in biocidal
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
2
as in antibacterial
Related Words
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
Ken Dychtwald, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
Although there is no cure, doctors prescribe antibiotics and topical steroids to reduce swelling and pain.
—Xitlalic Montelongo, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
Panteha Torabian, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2026
More than one million deaths each year are directly linked to antibiotic resistance, according to a study by the Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance (GRAM) Project.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for antibiotic
Noun
The medical breakthroughs of the 20th century—public health departments, vaccines, antibiotics, sanitation, lifestyle medicine—changed that trajectory.
—Ken Dychtwald, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
Although there is no cure, doctors prescribe antibiotics and topical steroids to reduce swelling and pain.
—Xitlalic Montelongo, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
This finding suggests that the way an antibiotic kills bacteria may also influence how much inflammatory material is released into the body.
—Panteha Torabian, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2026
More than one million deaths each year are directly linked to antibiotic resistance, according to a study by the Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance (GRAM) Project.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for antibiotic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for antibiotic
Noun
-
But its primary association in the public consciousness since the nineteen-eighties is with the criminal underworld, particularly the drug cartels.—
Chris Wiley,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The new shelter will allow residents to bring pets, which most shelters prohibit, offer a drug and alcohol treatment program and mental health services and assign those admitted a caseworker who will help connect them with professional development programs.—
Michael Cuglietta,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
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
Adjective
-
Cleaning your water bottle with a brush and antibacterial soap after every use will keep germs in check and odors at bay.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The technology helps regulate temperature, reduce odor and cut down on the need for frequent washing, thanks to natural antibacterial properties.—
Catherine Salfino,
Footwear News,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Additionally, while the software framework has already been validated on current industrial robots, its deployment in more sensitive fields like medicine is currently bottlenecked by hardware limitations.—
Jacek Krywko,
ArsTechnica,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Gaza’s most dire conditions — the lack of food and medicine, continuing Israeli attacks, destroyed hospitals, schools and residential buildings, homelessness and overcrowding — now include rodents, climbing temperatures and open-air sewage.—
Jeremy Mikula,
NBC news,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The plane hitting the water is destructive enough without the help of a jagged coral reef (improbably far from any coastline) slicing through the aircraft’s undercarriage.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Apr. 2026
-
This is a classic destructive straight-line wind setup, and strong storms will certainly be possible.—
Ron Smiley,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Belarusian human rights group Viasna said he repeatedly was denied essential medications and refused contact with his wife and children.—
Claudia Ciobanu,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Instead, many factors, such as lack of sleep, stress, adverse life events, mental health and medications can lead to food noise.—
Alora Bopray,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Decades later, the protagonist of Repetition reflects on her mother and father’s relationship, about the devastating truths that are the source of her mother’s intense anxieties.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Houston looked good from the start in this one after squandering a six-point lead in the final 26 seconds of regulation in a devastating 112-108 overtime loss Friday night.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
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
Cite this Entry
“Antibiotic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antibiotic. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
