Synonyms

truth serum

American

[trooth seer-uhm] / ˈtruθ ˌsɪər əm /

Often truth drug

noun

a drug, as the barbiturate thiopental, that induces in the subject a desire to talk or a state of heightened suggestibility, used in psychotherapy and in interrogation to discover repressed or consciously withheld information.

Etymology

Origin of truth serum

First recorded in 1920–25

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.

See Examples For:

truth serum

As the YouTube hit demonstrates, hot sauce isn’t just for daredevils and masochists: It’s a truth serum.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 20, 2025

“You can put me on the rack, the truth serum, whatever. I did not do it. … I did not shoot those people,” Titus said.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 1, 2023

Give fans truth serum now, and they might be more concerned about whether the Commanders will sign wide receiver Terry McLaurin to a long-term deal than about Young’s progress.

From Washington Post ● Jun. 2, 2022

Now it was being recast as a kind of truth serum, a tool of deep personal introspection.

From New York Times ● Nov. 15, 2021

They put all the others under truth serum, but not me.

From "Allegiant" by Veronica Roth

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

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