Meaning & use
phentermine
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountablemedicaltechnical
A drug taken by mouth that reduces appetite and is used for a short time to help people lose weight.
Grammar: Used as a mass noun: say 'phentermine was prescribed', not 'a phentermine'.
Patterns
- be prescribed phentermine
- take phentermine for something
- phentermine is used to do something
The doctor prescribed phentermine for six weeks along with a diet plan.
Phentermine is only licensed for short-term use in most countries.
She stopped taking phentermine because it made her feel restless.
Common combinations
- be prescribed phentermine
- He was prescribed phentermine after other treatments failed.
- take phentermine
- You should not take phentermine if you have heart problems.
- phentermine hydrochloride
- The tablets contain phentermine hydrochloride as the active ingredient.
- a course of phentermine
- Her doctor recommended a short course of phentermine.
Synonyms and how they differ
- appetite suppressant
- A general term for any drug that reduces hunger; phentermine is one specific example.
- anorectic
- A formal medical word for drugs that reduce appetite; it sounds more clinical than phentermine.
Word family
- phentermine hydrochloride noun
- The salt form of the drug, the name often printed on medicine labels.
Commonly confused: phentermine or amphetamine?
phentermine vs amphetamine
A different stimulant drug with similar effects; phentermine is chemically related but is used specifically for weight loss.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'phentermine' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Phentermine' is an uncountable drug name, so it takes no article and no plural: 'prescribed phentermine'. Options with 'a', 'the' or '-s' treat it as a countable noun, which is wrong here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “phentermine”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.