hard drug

noun

Pharmacology.

1. an addicting drug capable of producing severe physical or psychological dependence, as heroin.

Word History and Origins

Origin of hard drug¹

An Americanism dating back to 1965–70

Example Sentences

It’s a perfect place and time for a novelist looking to establish a tense atmosphere: The dreamy, free-love atmosphere slowly curdled into hard drugs and the Manson murders.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

A few are also making memes of so-called “chicken dealers” whose illicit product of choice are cartons of eggs as opposed to hard drugs.

Read more on Salon

Heroin and other hard drugs were a tour mainstay.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

What is certain is that in his teenage years Mathis distanced himself from his family and started using increasingly hard drugs; later, he spent time in detox and rehab centres.

Read more on BBC

A delicate-featured picture of innocence, she inhaled the highs of chart success, before falling victim to alcohol and hard drugs.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• anesthetic 
• dope 
• heroin 
• merchandise 
• opiate 
• opium 
• painkiller 
• sedative 
• tranquilizer