verb
- to break down food or other substances in the body through chemical processes to produce energy or build tissue
- to process or break down a drug or chemical substance in the body
Usage: biology; medicine
Usage: medicine; pharmacology
Examples
- The liver metabolizes alcohol at a steady rate.
- Athletes need more calories because they metabolize food faster.
- Some people metabolize caffeine more quickly than others.
- The body metabolizes carbohydrates into glucose for energy.
- It takes several hours for the kidneys to metabolize this medication.
- Plants metabolize carbon dioxide during photosynthesis.
- Her body doesn’t metabolize fats efficiently.