placebo effect

noun

: improvement in the condition of a patient that occurs in response to treatment but cannot be considered due to the specific treatment used

Examples of placebo effect in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In the future, doctors could potentially enhance the effectiveness of traditional pain treatments by pairing them with activities or contexts that trigger the placebo effect. Byphie Jacobs, science.org, 5 Sep. 2024 That all can be grouped under the label of a placebo effect. Gary Stix, Scientific American, 3 July 2024 Sniffing out the power, and limits, of the placebo effect Why isn’t there more research? Jo Morrison and Eric Moore, STAT, 4 Aug. 2024 The whole placebo effect shows that believing in something can change your physiology. Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 15 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for placebo effect 

Word History

First Known Use

1902, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of placebo effect was in 1902

Dictionary Entries Near placebo effect

Cite this Entry

“Placebo effect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/placebo%20effect. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

placebo effect

noun
: improvement in the condition of a patient that occurs in response to treatment but cannot be considered due to the specific treatment used
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!