: any of various solid steroid alcohols (such as cholesterol) widely distributed in animal and plant lipids
Examples of sterol in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Flavonoids like hesperidin and plant sterols may be responsible for this effect.
—
Randi Gollin, Martha Stewart, 17 May 2026
Switching to foods that provide polyunsaturated fats, which directly lower LDL, and others that contain plant sterols and stanols, which block the absorption of cholesterol, can lower your numbers, according to Harvard Medical School.
—Gavin Escott, USA Today, 15 May 2026
Aim for 2 g of plant stanols and sterols per day.
—Amy Brownstein, Verywell Health, 1 Apr. 2026
These foods contain plant sterols—natural compounds that resemble cholesterol and help block its absorption in the digestive tract.
—Stephanie Anderson Witmer, Health, 23 Feb. 2026
To rebuild the barrier more directly, the serum also incorporates skin-identical lipids such as sphingolipids and sterols, plus panthenol for long-lasting comfort and hydration.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 17 Jan. 2026
The fossil chemicals in question are a special types of steranes, which are the geologically stable form of sterols, like cholesterol, that are found in the cell membranes of complex organisms.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
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.
Randi Gollin, Martha Stewart, 17 May 2026
Switching to foods that provide polyunsaturated fats, which directly lower LDL, and others that contain plant sterols and stanols, which block the absorption of cholesterol, can lower your numbers, according to Harvard Medical School.
—Gavin Escott, USA Today, 15 May 2026
Aim for 2 g of plant stanols and sterols per day.
—Amy Brownstein, Verywell Health, 1 Apr. 2026
These foods contain plant sterols—natural compounds that resemble cholesterol and help block its absorption in the digestive tract.
—Stephanie Anderson Witmer, Health, 23 Feb. 2026
To rebuild the barrier more directly, the serum also incorporates skin-identical lipids such as sphingolipids and sterols, plus panthenol for long-lasting comfort and hydration.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 17 Jan. 2026
The fossil chemicals in question are a special types of steranes, which are the geologically stable form of sterols, like cholesterol, that are found in the cell membranes of complex organisms.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sterol.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sterol. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
sterol
noun
ste·rol
ˈsti(ə)r-ˌȯl 
ˈste(ə)r-
ˈste(ə)r-
-ˌōl
: any of various solid steroid alcohols (as cholesterol) widely distributed in animal and plant lipids
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
