amphetamine
noun
am·phet·amine
| \ am-ˈfe-tə-ˌmēn
, -mən\
, -mən\
Definition of amphetamine
: a racemic compound C9H13N or one of its derivatives (such as dextroamphetamine or methamphetamine) that is a stimulant of the central nervous system, is often abused illicitly, and is used clinically especially in the form of its sulfate C9H13N·H2SO4 to treat attention deficit disorder and narcolepsy and formerly as a short-term appetite suppressant
Examples of amphetamine in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Khat, also known as miraa, is an amphetamine-like plant native to the Horn of Africa and Arabian Peninsula. — Jillian Keenan, Time, "'I Need the Money But I Feel Guilt.' How a Drought-Resistant Crop Turned Women in Kenya into Reluctant Drug Lords," 20 Aug. 2019 The report said drugs were found in 65 percent of those who had been killed or wounded — and by far the drug of choice was amphetamine/methamphetamine. — Pauline Repard, San Diego Union-Tribune, "DA reviews 25 years of shootings by police in San Diego County," 15 Aug. 2019 In some cases, e-cigarettes were being used with drugs like marijuana and amphetamines. — CBS News, "Can vaping trigger seizures? Health officials investigate e-cigarette risks," 8 Aug. 2019 Two of the women, ages 38 and 33, were arrested and charged with theft less than $100, trespassing on private property and one of them was additionally charged with possession of Alprazolam, amphetamine salts and a plastic straw with residue inside. — Washington Post, "Southern Maryland crime report," 7 Aug. 2019 The company also faced two violations in March 2018, reported in Massachusetts and Vermont, of drivers who were in possession of a narcotic drug or amphetamine. — Fox News, "Truck driver in New Hampshire crash that killed 7 bikers was on drugs, report says," 2 Aug. 2019 The officer reportedly noticed a prescription bottle for amphetamine salts on the center console and requested permission to search the vehicle. — Jennifer James, Houston Chronicle, "Riding mowers reported stolen from Friendswood barn," 20 June 2019 The overdose death rate related to stimulants such as methamphetamine and amphetamines was 4 per 100,000 in rural counties, higher than the rate of 3.1 per 100,000 in urban counties. — Nadia Kounang, CNN, "More people are dying from drugs in urban areas than in rural areas," 2 Aug. 2019 Last year, the former inspired Netflix’s documentary Take Your Pills, which highlighted the extreme dependence on amphetamines that our national obsession with 24/7 productivity has created. — Vogue, "How I Learned to Find Focus Without Caffeine or an Adderall Prescription," 15 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'amphetamine.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for amphetamine
amphetamine
noun
English Language Learners Definition of amphetamine
: a drug that causes the nervous system to become more active so that a person feels more energy and mental excitement
See the full definition for amphetamine in the English Language Learners Dictionary
amphetamine
noun
am·phet·amine
| \ am-ˈfe-tə-ˌmēn
, -mən\
, -mən\
Kids Definition of amphetamine
: a drug that makes the nervous system more active
amphetamine
noun
am·phet·amine
| \ am-ˈfet-ə-ˌmēn
, -mən
\
, -mən
\
Medical Definition of amphetamine
: a racemic sympathomimetic amine C9H13N or one of its derivatives (as dextroamphetamine or methamphetamine) that is a stimulant of the central nervous system, is frequently abused illicitly often leading to dependence, and is used clinically especially in the form of its sulfate C9H13N·H2SO4 to treat attention deficit disorder and narcolepsy and formerly as a short-term appetite suppressant — see adderall
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