medication
7 synonyms for medication, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A drug or medicine used to treat an illness.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use medication
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
take medication
prescribe medication
medication dosage
Etymology
From Latin medicātiō, from medicārī ("to heal, cure"), from medicus ("physician").
Full origin of medication →Frequently asked questions
What does “medication” mean?
The word “medication” means a drug or medicine used to treat an illness. In plain terms, the medicine itself, or the act of giving medicine to treat a health problem.
How do you pronounce “medication”?
“Medication” is pronounced meh-dih-KAY-shuhn (/mɛdɪˈkeɪʃən/ in IPA).
How do you use “medication” in a sentence?
Here is “medication” used in a sentence: “She takes medication for her thyroid condition every morning.”
What part of speech is “medication”?
“Medication” is a noun.
Where does the word “medication” come from?
The word “medication” comes from Latin. From Latin medicātiō, from medicārī ("to heal, cure"), from medicus ("physician").
Is “medication” a common word?
“Medication” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
What is the difference between medication and medicine?
The words overlap, but "medicine" can mean both the substance used to treat illness and the science of healing, while "medication" refers specifically to a drug or medicine used to treat an illness. For the substance itself, the two are often interchangeable in everyday use.
What is the difference between medication and a drug?
All medications are drugs, but "drug" is broader and can also refer to recreational or illegal substances. "Medication" specifically means a drug or medicine used to treat an illness, giving it a clearly medical sense.
What words commonly go with "medication"?
"Medication" often appears in phrases such as take medication, prescribe medication, be on medication, and the side effects of medication. These collocations all relate to using drugs to treat illness.
