cough syrup
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of cough syrup
First recorded in 1875–80
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.
The Indian cough syrup market is set to soar from $262.5m in 2024 to $743m by 2035, growing at a compound annual rate of 9.9%, according to Market Research Future.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2025
Chris Robinson, the actor who played Dr. Rick Webber on “General Hospital” and also introduced America to a classic turn of phrase in a commercial for cough syrup, has died of heart failure.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 12, 2025
Q: I would like to share my recipe for honey and onion cough syrup.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 3, 2024
An old campaign slogan for cough syrup, "It tastes awful. And it works," seemed to imply that any sweet content might have diminished the medicinal effect.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 25, 2023
“Right. Got it. Like who decided to make cough syrup taste like fake bubble gum? Disgusting on both counts.”
From "Keep It Together, Keiko Carter" by Debbi Michiko Florence
![]()
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.