Antibiotics (Bacterial Infections) to Know
Antibiotics are one of the largest and most testable groups on any drug list because their name endings map cleanly onto drug classes. Knowing the class also tells you the broad mechanism, which makes the names far easier to retain than rote lists.
Study tip
Anchor each drug to its class ending: -cillin for penicillins (amoxicillin), -cycline for tetracyclines (doxycycline), -floxacin for fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin), and -mycin/-micin for several others (azithromycin). The ending almost always gives away the family.
Antibiotics drug list (20)
By generic name, ordered by how commonly each is dispensed.
| # | Generic name | Commonly used for |
|---|---|---|
| 48 | Azithromycin | Bacterial Infection |
| 49 | Amoxicillin | Bacterial Infection |
| 50 | Amoxicillin-Clavulanate | Bacterial Infection |
| 51 | Cephalexin | Bacterial Infection |
| 52 | Sulfamethoxazole-Trimethoprim | Bacterial Infection |
| 53 | Ciprofloxacin | Bacterial Infection |
| 54 | Doxycycline | Bacterial Infection |
| 118 | Levofloxacin | Bacterial Infection |
| 119 | Clarithromycin | Bacterial Infection |
| 120 | Clindamycin | Bacterial Infection |
| 121 | Metronidazole | Bacterial Infection |
| 409 | Linezolid | Bacterial Infection |
| 410 | Gentamicin | Bacterial Infection |
| 411 | Erythromycin | Bacterial Infection |
| 412 | Duricef | Bacterial Infection |
| 413 | Cefuroxime | Bacterial Infection |
| 414 | Cefdinir | Bacterial Infection |
| 415 | Cefpodoxime | Bacterial Infection |
| 416 | Penicillin V Potassium | Bacterial Infection |
| 417 | Moxifloxacin | Bacterial Infection |
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Frequently asked questions
- How are antibiotics grouped for studying?
- By class, using their name endings: penicillins (-cillin), cephalosporins (cef-/ceph-), tetracyclines (-cycline), fluoroquinolones (-floxacin), and macrolides (-mycin, like azithromycin). Learning one representative drug per class makes the rest far easier.
- What is the most common antibiotic to know?
- Amoxicillin is among the most frequently dispensed antibiotics and appears high on essentially every top-drug list, which makes it a good first card.
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Educational study aid — not medical advice. Learn My Drugs is a memorization tool for pharmacy students, technicians, and exam prep. Drug names and uses on this page are simplified for studying and are not a substitute for professional judgment. For clinical, dosing, or safety information, consult the official label and a licensed professional.
Authoritative references: DailyMed, MedlinePlus, and the U.S. FDA.
Last reviewed: May 30, 2026.