performance-enhancing

American  

[per-fawr-muhns en-han-sing, ‐en-hahn-sing] / pərˈfɔr məns ɛnˌhæn sɪŋ, ‐ɛnˌhɑn sɪŋ /

adjective

1. noting or relating to a drug or other substance used to improve one's performance in a sport or other activity requiring strength, stamina, etc..

   The use of performance-enhancing steroids by athletes is banned.

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Etymology

Origin of performance-enhancing

First recorded in 1975–1980

Example Sentences

The transformation was so stunning, Cunningham said, that when professional organizations caught wind of it, they were suspicious that Miller was using performance-enhancing drugs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

In short, an AI — which has been described as smelling like cat urine — is a performance-enhancing substance.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 7, 2025

Years ago, during an interview, he turned the tables and asked me how I felt about the 50-game suspension that the prodigious home-run hitter Manny Ramirez had received for violating baseball’s rules on performance-enhancing drugs.

From Salon • Jun. 13, 2025

And speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, the 45-year-old Briton said that since his retirement in 2016 Armstrong, who was stripped of seven Tour de France titles for using performance-enhancing drugs, had supported him.

From BBC • Jun. 6, 2025

Even so, MYC is not likely to be the basis of a new therapy for sarcopenia or a performance-enhancing drug.

From Science Daily • Dec. 3, 2024