recreational drug

noun

: a drug (such as cocaine, marijuana, or methamphetamine) used without medical justification for its psychoactive effects often in the belief that occasional use of such a substance is not habit-forming or addictive

Examples of recreational drug 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.
The days and nights are filled with drinking and recreational drug use — and all appears well until Jess gets bitten by a snake and disappears soon after. Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 1 Feb. 2025 The drugs found in their systems included fentanyl, lidocaine and cocaine, according to the medical examiner’s report One of the surviving victims who testified Wednesday, referred to solely by his first name, Alex, admitted to using recreational drugs on occasion, such as marijuana and cocaine. Matt Lavietes, NBC News, 22 Jan. 2025 Despite its name, the recreational drug may not contain cocaine at all and gets its color from food coloring. Minyvonne Burke, NBC News, 23 Oct. 2024 That same year, a survey of nearly 1,500 recreational drug users at European EDM festivals found that about 20 percent had tried tusi in the last 12 months. Celia Ford, Vox, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for recreational drug 

Word History

First Known Use

1967, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of recreational drug was in 1967

Dictionary Entries Near recreational drug

Cite this Entry

“Recreational drug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recreational%20drug. Accessed 14 Feb. 2025.

Medical Definition

recreational drug

noun
rec·​re·​a·​tion·​al drug ˌrek-rē-ˈā-sh(ə-)nəl- How to pronounce recreational drug (audio)
: a drug (as cocaine, marijuana, or methamphetamine) used without medical justification for its psychoactive effects often in the belief that occasional use of such a substance is not habit-forming or addictive
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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