Meaning & use
diuretic
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountablemedical
A substance or drug that makes the body produce more urine, often used to lower blood pressure or reduce fluid buildup.
Grammar: Countable: a diuretic.
Patterns
- take a diuretic
The doctor prescribed a diuretic to reduce the swelling in her ankles.
Coffee is a mild diuretic.
Some athletes misuse diuretics to lose weight quickly.
adjectivebefore a nounmedical
Causing increased urine production.
Grammar: Often before a noun: a diuretic effect.
Patterns
- diuretic effect
The tea has a gentle diuretic effect.
Celery is said to have diuretic properties.
Common combinations
- mild diuretic
- Caffeine is a mild diuretic.
- prescribe a diuretic
- Doctors may prescribe a diuretic for heart failure.
- natural diuretic
- Dandelion is often called a natural diuretic.
- diuretic effect
- Alcohol has a strong diuretic effect.
- diuretic medication
- He takes a daily diuretic medication.
Synonyms and how they differ
- water pill
- An informal name used by patients for a prescribed diuretic.
- antihypertensive
- Names a drug's purpose, lowering blood pressure, while diuretic names its action.
- laxative
- Affects the bowels, not urine output.
- purgative
- A stronger term for something that empties the body.
Word family
- diuresis noun
- increased urine production
- diurese verb
- to produce more urine
- diuretics noun
- plural form
- antidiuretic adjective
- reducing urine production
Commonly confused: diuretic or diarrhea?
diuretic vs diarrhea
Diarrhea is loose stools; a diuretic affects urine.
Practice
A diuretic mainly affects which body process?
Choose one answer.
Diuretics increase urine output. The others are unrelated functions.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “diuretic”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.