How to Use over-the-counter in a Sentence

over-the-counter

adjective
  • Start with over-the-counter medicine.
    — Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 5 Jan. 2026
  • This isn’t an over-the-counter market.
    — Allison Palmer updated June 24, Sacbee.com, 24 June 2026
  • This isn’t an over-the-counter market.
    — Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 17 June 2026
  • Many also use over-the-counter medicines.
    — Mark A. Munger, STAT, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Sales of over-the-counter sleep aids such as melatonin are way up.
    — Jon Marcus, BostonGlobe.com, 15 June 2023
  • But some over-the-counter products can help reduce pain while cold sores heal.
    — Erica Sweeney, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025
  • Mauskar said using a prescribed retinoid or an over-the-counter retinol can help.
    — ABC News, 6 Apr. 2026
  • Bond markets and over-the-counter markets will also be closed.
    — Andy Biggs, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
  • After all, many sit in pharmacies next to over-the-counter drugs.
    — The Editors, Scientific American, 1 June 2023
  • And there are great over-the-counter eye drops that are antihistamines.
    — Eileen Finan, People.com, 22 Mar. 2025
  • First up, control the pain with over-the-counter pain relievers.
    — Deanna Pai, Allure, 13 Apr. 2024
  • The over-the-counter drug is commonly used to relieve headaches and pain in adults.
    — Michal Ruprecht, NPR, 2 Jan. 2026
  • Both medicines are available over-the-counter or through a prescription.
    — Melina Khan, USA Today, 22 May 2025
  • Don’t forget antacids and over-the-counter medicines to ease digestion.
    — Kelsey Glennon, Travel + Leisure, 5 Feb. 2024
  • Also, tretinoin and over-the-counter retinols should never be combined.
    — Deanna Pai, Vogue, 16 Sep. 2024
  • Neither should be in over-the-counter supplements.
    — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 15 Mar. 2026
  • It’s now used both in clinical settings and at home in the form of over-the-counter test strips.
    — Neil Gaffin, STAT, 29 Dec. 2025
  • And some of the over-the-counter options can even be ordered online with free shipping.
    — Neelam Bohra, BostonGlobe.com, 6 May 2023
  • An over-the-counter antifungal shampoo, used as a body wash, can knock it back.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 7 July 2026
  • Home remedies and over-the-counter products are usually more than enough to heal bug bites.
    — Loren Savini, Allure, 7 Aug. 2023
  • Even the directions on over-the-counter packages may not reflect your true needs.
    — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
  • With over-the-counter products, that means 2% salicylic acid.
    — Alena Hall, Verywell Health, 5 Feb. 2024
  • But over-the-counter birth control pills haven’t reached many women in rural areas.
    — Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC News, 3 Aug. 2024
  • However, over-the-counter nasal sprays are not intended for long-term use.
    — Shannon Ullman, Health, 6 May 2024
  • No over-the-counter GLP-1s are available at this time.
    — Nicole Hernandez, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2026
  • No over-the-counter GLP-1s are available at this time.
    — Nicole Hernandez, USA Today, 19 Feb. 2026
  • Long-term use of over-the-counter painkillers can lead to kidney damage or stomach ulcers.
    — Aria Bendix, NBC news, 20 Feb. 2026
  • The report found that the use of prescription or over-the-counter sleep aids increased with age.
    — The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2026
  • Other drugs may cause constipation, even those that are over-the-counter.
    — Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 16 Jan. 2026
  • Most over-the-counter supplements are D3.
    — Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 30 Apr. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'over-the-counter.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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