Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

placebo

noun

pluh-SEE-boh

Definition

A substance that has no therapeutic effect, often used as a control in clinical trials.

Examples

The patient felt better after taking the placebo, even though it was just a sugar pill.
In the study, half of the participants received the actual medication while the other half were given a placebo.

Meaning

Placebo refers to a treatment or drug that is not meant to have any therapeutic effect, but rather helps researchers understand the effect of an actual treatment by serving as a comparison.