dummy pill
dummy pill — noun
1. a tablet that looks like real medicine but has no active substance in it, so it
a tablet that looks like real medicine but has no active substance in it, so it is used for comparison in treatment or research
In the sleep study, Samir took a dummy pill before going to bed.
take a dummy pill in a medical study
The nurse explained that Sumin might receive a dummy pill instead of medicine.
receive a dummy pill instead of active medicine
Half the volunteers got the new drug, and half got a dummy pill.
Tunde felt calmer after the dummy pill, even though it contained no medicine.
Before the test began, Nellie signed a form about the dummy pill.
- placebo
the general medical term; dummy pill specifically refers to the pill form
- sugar pill
more informal and often used outside technical medical writing
- inactive tablet
descriptive phrase that emphasises the lack of active ingredients
- active drug
the medicine being tested, containing the substance meant to affect the body
- real medicine
general everyday contrast, though less precise than active drug
文法句型
take a dummy pill
receive a dummy pill
dummy pill instead of + noun
用法筆記
Used mainly in medicine and research when people compare a real treatment with an inactive one. In many contexts it means the same thing as placebo, but it specifically names the pill form.