laxative
adjective
lax·a·tive
| \ ˈlak-sə-tiv
\
\
Definition of laxative
(Entry 1 of 2)
: having a tendency to loosen or relax
specifically
: producing bowel movements and relieving constipation
laxative
nounDefinition of laxative (Entry 2 of 2)
: a usually mild laxative drug
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Examples of laxative in a Sentence
Noun
The doctor prescribed a laxative.Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
The pattern also typically leads to rebound overeating, which may be followed by guilt, and a return to the strict diet or another form of compensation, like excessive exercise, or even laxative or diet pill use, or smoking. — Cynthia Sass, Health.com, "What Is the Cucumber Diet?," 21 June 2019 The stimulant laxative works quickly — within two to six hours — so don't take it right before bed. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "The 5 Best Benefits of Castor Oil Are Mostly for Your Hair and Skin," 15 Feb. 2019 Note: Excessive consumption can cause laxative effect; toxic to dogs Calories: 5 calories per teaspoon. — Molly Kimball, NOLA.com, "Guide to plant-based sweeteners, such as Stevia, Truvia," 8 May 2018 Chewing and spitting is regarded as a behavior among clinicians—comparable to restricting calories or laxative use. — Charlotte Lieberman, Marie Claire, "My Eating Disorder Made Me Feel Like a Feminist Fraud," 28 Feb. 2018 Some people appear to be more sensitive to the laxative effect of magnesium than others. — Joe, The Seattle Times, "There’s a cure for toe fungus in your pantry: apple cider vinegar," 14 Jan. 2018 Some doctors prescribe a large volume of liquid laxative prep, while others recommend over-the-counter pill or powder laxatives. — Jenn Morson, SELF, "7 Things You've Always Wondered About a Colonoscopy Procedure," 23 Aug. 2017 The fitness star quotes a description of Flat Tummy Tea’s main ingredients, including senna, a plant that can have laxative effects (and appears in the brand's Cleanse Tea). — Sarah Klein, Health.com, "Here's Why This Fitness Star Is Calling Out a Flat-Belly 'Detox' Tea," 2 Aug. 2017 The fitness star quotes a description of Flat Tummy Tea’s main ingredients, including senna, a plant that can have laxative effects (and appears in the brand’s Cleanse Tea). — Sarah Klein, PEOPLE.com, "Fitness Star Massy Arias Calls Out ‘Scam Artists’ Flat Tummy Tea for Reposting Her Image," 2 Aug. 2017Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
After seeking legal advice from an attorney, a doctor there agreed to perform the procedure, but first offered Brown the opportunity to remove the baggie himself, either on his own or with the help of a laxative. — Sarah Horner, Twin Cities, "State Supreme Court rules against forced body cavity search," 15 Aug. 2019 These include kidney damage from sodium-phosphate laxatives, a perforation during the procedure, a reaction to the sedative and bleeding if a polyp is removed. — Julie Washington, cleveland.com, "Newer guidelines call for colonoscopies 5 years earlier, many insurances cover costs," 28 July 2019 Every vendor, from the one who hawks fresh honey to the one who sells laxatives, has a different sense of time: This began in the ’90s, says one. — Los Angeles Times, "In the Piñata District, a street food market is a theater that overwhelms the senses," 18 July 2019 The doctor prescribed her a laxative to flush the tiny balls out of her system. — Jasmine Gomez, Seventeen, "A 14-Year-Old Girl Was Allegedly Hospitalized for Hundreds of Bubble Tea Balls Clogging Her Stomach," 12 June 2019 Many function basically as laxatives, and can lead to longterm health complications. — Brittney Mcnamara, Teen Vogue, "Jameela Jamil Called Out Khloé Kardashian and a Detox Tea Company For Promoting Unhealthy Products," 21 Mar. 2019 When a CT scan confirmed the presence of several small oval objects in her abdomen, the doctors gave her laxatives. — Cathleen O'grady, Ars Technica, "As if heroin weren’t dangerous enough, it may come with lead poisoning," 9 Nov. 2018 Its recent launches there include a laxative Sprite and the company’s first alcoholic drink—a fizzy lemon concoction. — Jennifer Maloney, WSJ, "Coca-Cola Launched 500 Drinks Last Year. Most Taste Nothing Like Coke.," 23 Aug. 2018 The Sackler family acquired Purdue Pharma in the 1950s, then a small New York City pharmaceutical company that sold laxatives, earwax remover and arthritis treatment. — Lillian Rizzo, WSJ, "Purdue Pharma Hires Davis Polk for Restructuring Help," 17 Aug. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'laxative.' 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 laxative
laxative
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of laxative
medical
: a medicine or food that makes it easier for solid waste to pass through the body
See the full definition for laxative in the English Language Learners Dictionary
laxative
adjective
lax·a·tive
| \ ˈlak-sə-tiv
\
\
Kids Definition of laxative
(Entry 1 of 2)
: tending to relieve constipation
laxative
nounKids Definition of laxative (Entry 2 of 2)
: a medicine that relieves constipation
laxative
adjective
lax·a·tive
| \ ˈlak-sət-iv
\
\
Medical Definition of laxative
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: having a tendency to loosen or relax
specifically
: relieving constipation
2
: lax sense 2
laxative
nounMedical Definition of laxative (Entry 2 of 2)
: a usually mild laxative drug
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