performance-enhancing drug
noun
: a substance (such as an anabolic steroid, human growth hormone, or erythropoietin) that is used illicitly to improve athletic performance
In the United States, more than 1 million elite and recreational athletes use performance-enhancing drugs for muscle building purposes.—Josiah D. Rich et al.
…33 of the 48 major and minor league players suspended by baseball for using performance-enhancing drugs since the start of 2006 were pitchers.—Sean Gregory
Roger Bannister, the first person to run a subpar four-minute mile, said today he thought that increased use of blood testing could help curb the use of performance-enhancing drugs by track and field athletes.—The New York Times
—abbreviation PED
Cite this Entry
“Performance-enhancing drug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/performance-enhancing%20drug. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.
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