antidote

noun

an·​ti·​dote ˈan-ti-ˌdōt 

1

: a remedy to counteract the effects of poison

needed the antidote for the snake's venom

2

: something that relieves, prevents, or counteracts

an antidote to boredom

antidote transitive verb

Synonyms

• corrective
• curative
• cure
• rectifier
• remedy
• therapeutic
• therapy

Examples of antidote in a Sentence

There is no antidote to this poison.

For him, racing motorcycles is a great antidote to boredom.

Recent Examples on the Web

Carnes said the series was conceived as an antidote to our isolated culture, siloed by social media, fragmented in our fraught climate along social and political lines. —Darrell Smith, Sacramento Bee, 29 Jan. 2025

This led her to act on stage and then on screen, which was an antidote for her social awkwardness. —Stuart Miller, Variety, 22 Jan. 2025

As an antidote, the Arctic is an excellent focus to encourage cooperation, including commercial investment. —Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2025

As an antidote to the divided attention that shapes student life, close observation of images can force students to slow down in an age of rapid information consumption. —The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 8 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English antidot, from Latin antidotum, from Greek antidotos, from feminine of antidotos given as an antidote, from antididonai to give as an antidote, from anti- + didonai to give — more at date

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

antidote

noun

an·​ti·​dote ˈant-i-ˌdōt 

: a remedy to counteract the effects of poison

antidotal

ˌant-i-ˈdōt-ᵊl

adjective

antidotally

-ᵊl-ē

adverb

Medical Definition

antidote

noun

an·​ti·​dote ˈant-i-ˌdōt 

: a remedy that counteracts the effects of poison