superbug

noun

su·​per·​bug ˈsü-pər-ˌbəg How to pronounce superbug (audio)
: a pathogenic microorganism and especially a bacterium that has developed resistance to the medications normally used against it

Examples of superbug 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.
While superbugs are busy dealing with superoxides, antibiotics can slip in for the kill. IEEE Spectrum, 4 Oct. 2017 The drug-resistance problem is especially bad in hospitals and on farms—hotbeds for superbugs, Nagpal says. IEEE Spectrum, 4 Oct. 2017 At University College London, scientists have spent a decade studying superbugs resistant to antibiotics, proving how certain bacteria contribute to antibiotic-resistant infections, a widespread health challenge. Leslie Katz, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025 Health officials from several countries were scheduled to discuss strategies to respond to superbugs at the meeting. CBS News, 24 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for superbug

Word History

First Known Use

1945, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of superbug was in 1945

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Cite this Entry

“Superbug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/superbug. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.

Medical Definition

superbug

noun
su·​per·​bug ˈsü-pər-ˌbəg How to pronounce superbug (audio)
: a pathogenic microorganism and especially a bacterium that has developed resistance to the medications normally used against it
The rise of superbugs that can survive multiple antibiotics—such as MRSA, the notorious "flesh-eating bacterium"—has turned once-trivial infections into persistent problems.Valerie Ross, Discover
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