American Dictionary

Define dictionary terms easily in our powerful online English dictionary.

Searching for...

No matching words found

Try a different search term or browse the dictionary

Definition gateway drug in American English

gateway drug noun

[countable] noun
/ˈɡeɪtweɪ ˌdrʌɡ/
Example

Marijuana use is considered as a gateway drug to harder drug abuse.

Example

Many studies show that alcohol is a gateway drug, leading innocent users to other, heavier drug use.

Synonyms and related words
2

someone or something that leads people towards other similar things that are more powerful, more dangerous or more harmful

Example

Ramsey Campbell is my favourite horror novelist, and was in fact the gateway drug that led my 12-year-old self into the wider world of general horror.

Example

In 2016, Heimlich described the candidate as the gateway drug to outright white nationalism.

Synonyms and related words
Definition gateway drug in American English