C1nounformalhealthscience
US/pləˈsiː.boʊ/
UK/pləˈsiː.bəʊ/
a pill or treatment with no active medicine, given in tests or to make a patient feel better
In context
One group received the new drug, while the other group received a placebo.
Some patients felt better after taking a placebo, which shows the power of belief.
The trial was placebo-controlled, so no one knew who got the real pills.
Words that go with placebo
verb + noun
- take a placeboHalf the volunteers took a placebo every day.
- receive a placeboPatients who received a placebo reported less pain.
noun + noun
- placebo effectThe placebo effect is well known in medical research.
- placebo groupThe placebo group showed almost no improvement.
- placebo-controlled trialIt was a large placebo-controlled trial involving 900 patients.