WordValeplacebo
an inactive treatment used for comparison in trials
In more detail
1. (noun) a pill or medicine given to a patient that contains no real drug, used in medical tests to compare its effects with a real medicine
2. (noun) something that makes a person feel better psychologically even though it has no real medical effect
Examples
- 1. In the study, half the patients received the real drug and half received a placebo.
- 2. Some people take vitamins as a placebo to feel healthier, even if they don't actually need them.
How to use placebo
Placebo is used in medical and scientific contexts to refer to an inert substance administered in controlled experiments, or more broadly to any psychological comfort measure with no actual therapeutic basis. It carries a neutral, technical tone in clinical settings but can be slightly dismissive in everyday use when suggesting something offers only psychological relief rather than real benefit.
Common phrases
- placebo effect
- placebo group
- placebo-controlled trial
- give someone a placebo
- placebo treatment
Synonyms
dummy pill · sugar pill · sham treatment · inert substance · pseudo-remedy
Opposites
active drug · genuine medication · real cure
Word family
placebo (noun) · placebo effect (noun phrase)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes use placebo as a verb (e.g., 'to placebo someone'), but it functions only as a noun in standard English.
Save this word in WordVale and it comes back for review right before you'd forget it — with pronunciation, real examples, and optional translations. One purchase, no subscription.
Get WordValeFREE 7-DAY TRIAL · iPHONE & iPAD