designer drug
nounDefinition of designer drug
1
: a synthetic version of a controlled substance (such as heroin) that is produced with a slightly altered molecular structure to avoid having it classified as an illicit drug
2
: a synthetic, therapeutic agent designed to have a highly selective mode of action so that effectiveness is maximized and side effects are minimized compared with existing therapies
Examples of designer drug in a Sentence
Ecstasy is a designer drug.
Recent Examples on the Web
The market often moves faster than the regulator, and a combination of sophisticated designer drugs, masking agents and microdosing probably could outsmart even the most scrutinizing test. — Michael Mccann, SI.com, "Examining Wilson Chandler's Suspension for PEDs and Infrequency of Steroids in the NBA," 29 Aug. 2019 Silmi obtained large amounts of cocaine and designer drugs as part of the operation, according to agents. — Eric Heisig, cleveland.com, "Former Ohio City nightclub owner sentenced to prison for leading drug ring," 26 Aug. 2019 The many short-lived relationships and casual trysts did not help and neither did the designer drugs. — Vikram Zutshi, Quartz India, "Why do abusive men (and the women who support them) behave the way they do?," 19 July 2019 The show suggests that our modern society, with its smartphone dating apps, internet pornography and designer drugs, has made teenage life more extreme and dangerous than ever before. — New York Times, "The ‘Euphoria’ Teenagers Are Wild. But Most Real Teenagers Are Tame.," 23 June 2019 Worryingly, people who overdose on such designer drugs, known collectively as China White, have been said to be less responsive to antidotes now widely carried by first responders. — Anna Edney, Anchorage Daily News, "Research on deadly illegal opioid blocked by federal stalemate," 20 Apr. 2018 Worryingly, people who overdose on such designer drugs, known collectively as China White, have been said to be less responsive to antidotes now widely carried by first responders. — Anna Edney, Anchorage Daily News, "Research on deadly illegal opioid blocked by federal stalemate," 20 Apr. 2018 Worryingly, people who overdose on such designer drugs, known collectively as China White, have been said to be less responsive to antidotes now widely carried by first responders. — Anna Edney, Anchorage Daily News, "Research on deadly illegal opioid blocked by federal stalemate," 20 Apr. 2018 Worryingly, people who overdose on such designer drugs, known collectively as China White, have been said to be less responsive to antidotes now widely carried by first responders. — Anna Edney, Anchorage Daily News, "Research on deadly illegal opioid blocked by federal stalemate," 20 Apr. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'designer drug.' 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 designer drug
designer drug
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of designer drug
: a drug that is created to be only slightly different from an illegal drug so that it will not be considered illegal
: an artificially made drug that is used for pleasure
See the full definition for designer drug in the English Language Learners Dictionary
designer drug
noun
de·sign·er drug
| \ di-ˌzī-nər-
\
\
Medical Definition of designer drug
1
: a synthetic version of a controlled substance (such as heroin) that is produced with a slightly altered molecular structure to avoid classification as an illicit drug
Los Angeles County health officials warned Tuesday against the use of bath salts—the designer drug involved in a series of bizarre incidents and arrests …— Wesley Lowery, The Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2012 … the firm is involved in the illegal production and sale of MDMA, a designer drug commonly known as "ecstasy." — Time, 6 Mar. 1989
2
: a synthetic, therapeutic agent designed to have a highly selective mode of action so that effectiveness is maximized and side effects are minimized compared with existing therapies
In contrast to past trial-and-error discovery, we are starting to see designer drugs that target known sites on molecules implicated in disease.— Nathaniel C. Comfort, The New York Times Book Review, 9 Sept. 2001 Results of another dramatic prevention study zeroed in on raloxifene, a chemical cousin of tamoxifen, and one of the first so-called estrogen designer drugs.— Patricia Guthrie, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 24 May 1998
designer drug
noun
de·sign·er drug
Legal Definition of designer drug
: a synthetic version of a controlled substance (as heroin) that is produced with a slightly altered molecular structure to avoid having it classified as an illegal drug