phar·ma·ceu·ti·cal
ˌfär-mə-ˈsü-ti-kəl 
: of, relating to, or engaged in pharmacy or the manufacture and sale of pharmaceuticals
a pharmaceutical company
: a medicinal drug
Examples of pharmaceutical in a Sentence
Adjective
lobbyists from the pharmaceutical industry
Noun
some pharmaceuticals can be quite risky unless taken correctly
Recent Examples on the Web
Meggen Harris, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
For decades, regulators and judges have also successfully forced pharmaceutical manufacturers to attend to the addictiveness of opioids and other pain relief medicines.
—Olivier Sylvain, Fortune, 16 May 2026
Matthew Perrone, Fortune, 16 May 2026
His father, Terry, spent 22 years working in the pharmaceutical industry, and now works in medicinal chemistry, teaching as an assistant professor of biochemistry at Wake Forest on the side.
—Gabby Herzig, New York Times, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for pharmaceutical
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Adjective
France is frequently cited for its high-quality healthcare system, lower pharmaceutical costs and strong emphasis on preventative care.
—Meggen Harris, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
For decades, regulators and judges have also successfully forced pharmaceutical manufacturers to attend to the addictiveness of opioids and other pain relief medicines.
—Olivier Sylvain, Fortune, 16 May 2026
Noun
Mikhail, a longtime pharmaceutical executive, was hired by Makary last spring.
—Matthew Perrone, Fortune, 16 May 2026
His father, Terry, spent 22 years working in the pharmaceutical industry, and now works in medicinal chemistry, teaching as an assistant professor of biochemistry at Wake Forest on the side.
—Gabby Herzig, New York Times, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for pharmaceutical
Cite this Entry
“Pharmaceutical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pharmaceutical. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pharmaceutical
1 of 2 adjective
phar·ma·ceu·ti·cal
ˌfär-mə-ˈsüt-i-kəl
: of, relating to, or involved in pharmacy or the manufacture and sale of medicinal drugs
a pharmaceutical company
pharmaceutical
2 of 2 noun
: a drug or preparation used in medicine
Medical Definition
pharmaceutical
1 of 2 adjective
phar·ma·ceu·ti·cal
ˌfär-mə-ˈsüt-i-kəl
variants
also pharmaceutic
: of, relating to, or engaged in pharmacy or the manufacture and sale of pharmaceuticals
a pharmaceutical company
pharmaceutical
2 of 2 noun
variants
also pharmaceutic
: a medicinal drug
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