steroid
gb/stɚˈɔɪd/ us/stɚˈɔɪd/
B2
English
~ 8200
anabolikus szteroid, szteroid, kortikoszteroid
NOUN
B2
1
szteroid
B2
Usage pattern:
to take [steroids] to improve [performance]
The sprinter was banned for two years after testing positive for steroids.
A sprintert két évre eltiltották, miután kimutatták nála az anabolikus szteroidok használatát.
He admitted taking steroids to boost his performance in bodybuilding competitions.
Beismerte, hogy anabolikus szteroidokat szedett, hogy javítsa a teljesítményét a testépítő versenyeken.
The league introduced strict testing to reduce steroid abuse among players.
Rumors of a steroid scandal damaged the team's reputation.
The documentary followed former steroid users who now warn young athletes about the risks.
Learner examples
Some athletes take steroids to win more games.
Egyes sportolók anabolikus szteroidokat szednek, hogy több mérkőzést nyerjenek.
He used steroids to get bigger muscles very fast.
Anabolikus szteroidokat használt, hogy nagyon gyorsan nagyobb izmai legyenek.
Many sports teams now test players for steroids.
Coaches told the students not to use steroids.
Steroids can make you strong but can also hurt your health.
Common mistake:
Learners often think that all steroids are illegal drugs for athletes. In fact, some steroids are medicines prescribed by doctors. Another mistake is using the singular in this sense, e.g. *"He took steroid"* instead of the usual plural *"He took steroids"* when talking about performance drugs.
Meaning
drug to build muscle faster
Collocations
take steroids
|use steroids
|anabolic steroids
|steroid abuse
|steroid user
|steroid scandal
Synonyms
anabolic steroid (More specific; clearly refers to the muscle-building type of steroid used by athletes and bodybuilders.)
|
performance-enhancing drug (Broader term that includes steroids and other drugs used to improve sports performance.)
Antonyms
natural training (Emphasizes building muscle and performance without using drugs like steroids.)
Themes
health
|sports
|body
Definition
A drug, often made in a lab, that helps people build muscle and get stronger more quickly, and is often used illegally in sports.
A natural or, more often, synthetic hormone-like drug used to increase muscle growth, strength, or athletic performance, and frequently associated with sports doping.
NOUN
B2
2
szteroid
B2
Usage pattern:
to be on [steroids] for [a condition]
The doctor prescribed a short course of steroids to control the asthma attack.
Az orvos rövid szteroidkúrát írt fel az asztmás roham csillapítására.
She uses a steroid cream to treat the eczema on her hands.
Szteroidos krémet használ a kezén lévő ekcéma kezelésére.
After the knee injury, he received a steroid injection to reduce the swelling.
Long-term use of steroids can weaken your bones and increase infection risk.
Her allergies were so severe that her doctor put her on steroids for a few days.
Learner examples
My doctor gave me steroids for my bad rash.
Az orvosom szteroidot adott az erős kiütésemre.
He uses a steroid inhaler to help his breathing.
Szteroidos inhalátort használ, hogy könnyebben kapjon levegőt.
I got a steroid shot to stop the pain in my shoulder.
This steroid cream helps when my skin is red and itchy.
The nurse said I must not take steroids for too many weeks.
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse medical steroids with illegal sports drugs and think doctors only give them to build muscle. In medicine, steroids are usually for inflammation and do not make patients muscular. Learners may also mix up steroids with antibiotics, saying things like *"The doctor gave me strong antibiotics"* when the medicine was actually a steroid.
Meaning
steroid medicine for inflammation
Collocations
steroid cream
|steroid injection
|steroid inhaler
|steroid treatment
|steroid therapy
|oral steroids
Synonyms
corticosteroid (More technical and specific; usually refers to the medical steroids used for inflammation and immune conditions.)
|
anti-inflammatory drug (Broader term for any drug that reduces inflammation; not all of these are steroids.)
Antonyms
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (Refers to drugs like ibuprofen that treat inflammation but are not steroids; often used as an alternative treatment.)
Themes
health
|medicine
Definition
A strong medicine that is a type of steroid and is used by doctors to reduce swelling, redness, or allergic reactions in the body.
A steroid medication, usually a corticosteroid, prescribed to reduce inflammation, relieve symptoms such as swelling and itching, or suppress the immune system.
NOUN
C2
TECHNICAL
3
szteroid
C1
Cholesterol is a steroid that plays a vital role in cell membranes.
A koleszterin olyan szteroid, amely létfontosságú szerepet játszik a sejthártyákban.
Many steroid hormones, such as estrogen and testosterone, regulate growth and reproduction.
Számos szteroidhormon, például az ösztrogén és a tesztoszteron, szabályozza a növekedést és a szaporodást.
The researcher studied how changes in steroid structure affect biological activity.
Vitamin D is derived from a steroid found in the skin.
These enzymes are involved in steroid biosynthesis in the liver.
Learner examples
Testosterone is a steroid made in the body.
A tesztoszteron a szervezetben termelődő szteroid.
Some steroids in the body act as hormones.
A szervezetben lévő egyes szteroidok hormonként működnek.
Scientists study how steroid structures change their effects.
Cholesterol is one type of steroid in animals.
This chapter explains how the body makes steroids.
Common mistake:
Learners often assume that in scientific texts, 'steroid' always means a drug for athletes or a medical treatment. In chemistry and biology, it usually means a broad class of natural body chemicals, not just medicines or illegal drugs.
Meaning
class of four-ring organic compounds
Collocations
steroid hormone
|steroid structure
|steroid nucleus
|steroid metabolism
|steroid biosynthesis
|steroid pathway
Synonyms
sterol (Refers to a subgroup of steroids (like cholesterol); more specific than the general class 'steroid'.)
|
lipid (Broader category of fat-like substances in which steroids are one group.)
Antonyms
non-steroidal compound (Any chemical compound that does not have the characteristic four-ring steroid structure.)
Themes
science
|biology
|medicine
Definition
A type of chemical that has four connected rings of carbon atoms and includes some important hormones and vitamins in the body.
Any of a large class of organic compounds characterized by a structure of four fused carbon rings, including many hormones, vitamins, and components of cell membranes.
Grammar
Dictionary form
steroid
IPA
GB/stɚˈɔɪd/
US/stɚˈɔɪd/
Syllables & stress
ster - oid (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (ster)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: steroid
- Plural: steroids
Word family
Forms
steroids
noun
Core family
steroidal
adjective
Related words
corticosteroid
noun
Negative and opposite forms
nonsteroidal
adjective
Expressions
anabolic steroid
1/ˌænəbˈɑlɪk stɚˈɔɪd/
fixed phrase
technical
muscle-building steroid drug
A type of steroid drug that helps the body build more muscle and strength, often used by athletes and bodybuilders.
Examples
- The athlete tested positive for an anabolic steroid after the final race.
- Doctors warn teenagers about the long-term side effects of anabolic steroid use.
- Anabolic steroid abuse can damage the liver and heart.
on steroids
1/ˈɔn stˈɛɹɔɪdz/
idiom
informal
much more extreme version of something
Much stronger, bigger, or more intense than normal; like a very powerful version of something.
Examples
- The new game is basically the old one on steroids, with better graphics and faster action.
- Their marketing campaign is like word-of-mouth on steroids, reaching millions of people online.
- This coffee is regular espresso on steroids—I can’t stop shaking.
steroid cream
1/stɚˈɔɪd kɹˈim/
fixed phrase
cream with steroid medicine
A cream with steroid medicine in it, put on the skin to reduce redness, itching, or swelling.
Examples
- The dermatologist recommended a mild steroid cream for my eczema.
- Use the steroid cream only on the affected area and not on healthy skin.
- After three days of using the steroid cream, the rash was almost gone.
steroid shot
1/stɚˈɔɪd ʃˈɑt/
fixed phrase
injection of steroid medicine
An injection that gives steroid medicine directly into the body, often to reduce pain or swelling.
Examples
- My doctor gave me a steroid shot in my shoulder to ease the pain.
- She gets a steroid shot every spring when her allergies are very bad.
- The steroid shot reduced the swelling in his knee within a few hours.