diphenhydramine
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of diphenhydramine
First recorded in 1945–50; diphen(yl) + hydr- 2 + amine
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.
Anticholinergics also include diphenhydramine, the active ingredient in over-the-counter products like Benadryl.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 8, 2026
And while sedating antihistamines like diphenhydramine might help you sleep at night, they don't treat the cough itself.
From BBC ● Dec. 3, 2025
At 4:40 p.m., a nurse administered an injection that contained olanzapine, an antipsychotic used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and diphenhydramine, an antihistamine for treating allergies and colds, according to the filing.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 26, 2023
About 40% of incidents involved common over-the-counter medications, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen and diphenhydramine.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 21, 2023
The over-the-counter antihistamines I used to take, which contain diphenhydramine, “were never really systematically studied for their effects on sleep,” Dr. Krystal said.
From New York Times ● Apr. 7, 2022
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.
