Synonyms

morning-after pill

American

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

Or morning after pill

noun

Pharmacology.

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

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of morning-after pill

First recorded in 1955–60

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.

Women in England will be able to get the morning-after pill for free from pharmacies from later this year, the government has said.

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2025

The morning-after pill, which prevents pregnancy, is currently available only by prescription.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 22, 2024

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

But the morning-after pill, which is accepted by the World Health Organization as a form of contraception, ought to be less controversial, she argues.

From BBC • Dec. 8, 2022

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