antihistamines

Cultural

Drugs that counteract the effects of a substance in the body called histamine. The body releases histamine, which causes many of the symptoms associated with allergies (sneezing, watery eyes, runny nose), in response to external agents such as pollen.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Antihistamines can help if bites are very itchy, while a mild steroid cream like hydrocortisone might be useful.

From BBC • Oct. 5, 2023

Antihistamines prevent mast cells from becoming associated with IgE molecules that recognize the foreign protein allergen.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

Antihistamines or cold medications such as DayQuil can be used to relieve congestion and cough.

From Scientific American • May 13, 2022

Antihistamines first became available in the 1940s, but they caused significant sedation.

From Salon • Apr. 14, 2019

Antihistamines can also be effective in curbing motion sickness.

From New York Times • Feb. 27, 2014

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023