meds

IPA/mˈɛdz/
IPA/mˈɛdz/

meds — noun

1. medicines or drugs that a person takes regularly to treat or manage an illness,

1.nounB1
Definition

medicines or drugs that a person takes regularly to treat or manage an illness, injury, or long-term condition — used informally instead of 'medication' or 'medicines'

Example

Dr. Chen told Anika to finish all her meds even after she felt better.

collocation: finish + meds / finish a course of meds

Deepak keeps his meds in a small box next to the kitchen sink.

collocation: keep + meds + in [location]

Common collocations
  • take meds
  • be on meds
  • prescribe meds
  • stop meds
  • change meds
  • meds for [condition]
  • daily meds
  • regular meds
Synonyms
  • medication

    the formal equivalent; used in medical and professional contexts

  • medicine

    a broader term that also covers the field of study; 'meds' is more specific to what you actually take

  • drugs

    neutral in medical contexts but can carry negative connotations in everyday speech; use 'meds' to avoid ambiguity

Grammar Patterns

take + meds

be on + meds

meds + for + [condition]

Usage Note

Always used in plural form. 'Meds' is a shortened form of 'medications' or 'medicines' and is common in everyday spoken English and informal writing. The singular 'med' exists but is much less common.

Common Mistakes

I need to pick up my med from the pharmacy.
I need to pick up my meds from the pharmacy.
'Meds' is almost always used in the plural, even when referring to a single type of medicine.
The doctor prescribed a new meds for my cough.
The doctor prescribed a new med for my cough.
When referring to one specific medicine, use 'med' in informal speech, though 'meds' is still more common overall.

meds — adjective

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words refer to substances used to treat illness, but they differ in register and scope. 'Meds' is the most informal option — common in everyday conversation but rare in official medical writing. 'Medication' is the neutral, professional term used by doctors, pharmacists, and on prescription labels; it can be countable (a medication) or uncountable. 'Medicine' has a broader meaning that includes both the treatment substance ('take your medicine') and the entire field of study ('study medicine'), so it is less precise when you mean a specific drug. 'Drugs' is medically neutral (drug therapy, drug interaction) but in casual speech can suggest illegal substances, making 'meds' or 'medication' a safer choice. 'Prescription' refers specifically to a doctor's written order for a drug, not the drug itself — though people often say 'I picked up my prescription' when they mean the meds. In daily use: tell your friend 'I need to pick up my meds'; tell your doctor 'I've been taking this medication for two weeks.'

medication ↗medicine ↗drugs ↗prescription ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • a course of meds
  • a refill of meds

Prepositions

  • for [condition]
  • on [meds]

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'meds' is a shortening of 'medications', which came into English in the 1970s as an informal, spoken abbreviation. It follows a common pattern where longer medical terms are clipped for everyday conversation — similar to 'phys ed' for physical education or 'lab' for laboratory. The word quickly spread through hospital slang and patient conversations before entering general informal use.