morning-after pill

American  

[mawr-ning-af-ter pil] / ˈmɔr nɪŋˈæf tər ˌpɪl /

Or morning after pill

noun

Pharmacology.

1. an emergency contraceptive pill used to prevent pregnancy after sexual intercourse, typically by delaying ovulation, preventing fertilization, or preventing a fertilized egg from being implanted in the uterus.

---

morning-after pill British  

noun

1. an oral contraceptive that is effective if taken some hours after intercourse

---

Etymology

Origin of morning-after pill

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

Making the morning-after pill available through the NHS at pharmacies will end the "unfair" barriers some women face when needing to access it, according to the government.

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2025

Taking a common arthritis drug together with the morning-after pill Plan B could boost the contraceptive’s effectiveness, according to new research published Wednesday.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 16, 2023

It’s stocked with ibuprofen, pregnancy tests and the morning-after pill.

From Washington Times • Jul. 1, 2023

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is drafting recommendations for using it as a kind of morning-after pill for preventing STDs, said Dr. Leandro Mena, director of the agency’s STD prevention division.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 11, 2023

Honduras, a largely Catholic Central American country, banned the use of the morning-after pill following a coup in 2009 that ousted Xiomara Castro's husband, then-President Manuel Zelaya.

From BBC • Mar. 9, 2023