as in drug
a substance used to induce or speed up the process of defecation
In the past, purgatives were sometimes administered in cases of accidental poisoning.
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Recent Examples of purgative
Sales of purgatives, tonics, syrups and patent medicines like Carter’s Little Liver Pills went through the roof as ordinary people were encouraged to closely monitor the frequency and quality of their bowel movements.
—
Elsa Richardson, TIME, 3 Oct. 2024
Or merely the tall-tale purgative of a frantic Purgatorian?
—Tom Nolan, WSJ, 11 June 2021
The persistent and sickening violence of Detroit could work as a powerful purgative, a corrective medicine for deprogramming those who doubt the reality of police brutality.
—Josephine Livingstone, New Republic, 8 Aug. 2017
Blackshirts forced their opponents to drink castor oil and other purgatives, and then sent them home, wrenching with pain and covered in their own feces.
—Michael Ebner, Slate Magazine, 30 Jan. 2017
Elsa Richardson, TIME, 3 Oct. 2024
Or merely the tall-tale purgative of a frantic Purgatorian?
—Tom Nolan, WSJ, 11 June 2021
The persistent and sickening violence of Detroit could work as a powerful purgative, a corrective medicine for deprogramming those who doubt the reality of police brutality.
—Josephine Livingstone, New Republic, 8 Aug. 2017
Blackshirts forced their opponents to drink castor oil and other purgatives, and then sent them home, wrenching with pain and covered in their own feces.
—Michael Ebner, Slate Magazine, 30 Jan. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purgative
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
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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
Noun
-
The second will determine an appropriate remedy if the jury and judge find in Musk’s favor.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Jury selection starts Monday, but jurors won’t have the final say in either the liability phase of the trial or the remedies phase, if the trial reaches that point.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Purgative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purgative. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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