anabolic steroid

noun

: any of a group of usually synthetic hormones that are derivatives of testosterone, are used medically especially to promote tissue growth, and are sometimes abused by athletes to increase the size and strength of their muscles and improve endurance

Examples of anabolic steroid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Steroid use and misuse can cause fluctuations in hormones—for example, higher testosterone due to anabolic steroids or Addison's disease (when the adrenal glands don't produce enough hormones like cortisol and aldosterone) due to glucocorticoids (e.g., prednisone). —Wendy Wisner, Health, 12 Sep. 2024

Its president, Kevin Sabet, argues there isn’t enough data to move cannabis to the less-dangerous Schedule III category, alongside ketamine and some anabolic steroids. —Kristine Gill, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2024

Interest on money becomes an injustice because money is required to exist for another purpose, a purpose that the modern financial system appears to have bypassed, injecting into it anabolic steroids and juicing it up on 12,000 volts. —Harris Irfan, Foreign Affairs, 15 May 2015

It would be considered similar to Tylenol with codeine or anabolic steroids — legal when taken for prescribed medical uses. —Joel Shannon, USA TODAY, 1 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1946, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

anabolic steroid

noun

: any of several man-made hormones that are used in medicine to help tissue grow, that are sometimes abused by athletes to increase muscle size and strength, and that may have harmful effects (as stunted growth in teenagers)

Medical Definition

anabolic steroid

noun

: any of a group of usually synthetic hormones that are derivatives of testosterone, are used medically especially to promote tissue growth, and are sometimes abused by athletes to increase the size and strength of their muscles and improve endurance