: a sedative agent or drug
Synonyms of sedative
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Adjective
Examples of sedative in a Sentence
Adjective
some people find a glass of wine to be a civilized and sedative addition to an evening meal
Noun
The patient was given a powerful sedative.
Recent Examples on the Web
Lucia Cheng, Des Moines Register, 18 Mar. 2026
Micron has come a long way since its humble founding nearly half a century ago in the basement of a Boise dental office, where sedative gas wafted through the floorboards and an early executive used a hair dryer to keep the company’s logo from smearing off its chips.
—Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 11 Mar. 2026
Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
All Florida executions are carried out by injecting a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart, according to the Department of Corrections.
—David Fischer, Sun Sentinel, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sedative
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Adjective
In high doses, users report sedative effects, according to a Department of Justice fact sheet.
—Lucia Cheng, Des Moines Register, 18 Mar. 2026
Micron has come a long way since its humble founding nearly half a century ago in the basement of a Boise dental office, where sedative gas wafted through the floorboards and an early executive used a hair dryer to keep the company’s logo from smearing off its chips.
—Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 11 Mar. 2026
Noun
All Florida executions are carried out via lethal injection using a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart, according to the Department of Corrections.
—Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
All Florida executions are carried out by injecting a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart, according to the Department of Corrections.
—David Fischer, Sun Sentinel, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sedative
Cite this Entry
“Sedative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sedative. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sedative
1 of 2 adjective
sed·a·tive
ˈsed-ət-iv 
: tending to calm or to ease tension
sedative
2 of 2 noun
: a sedative medicine
Medical Definition
sedative
1 of 2 adjective
sed·a·tive
ˈsed-ət-iv
: tending to calm, moderate, or tranquilize nervousness or excitement
sedative effects of anesthetics and analgesics—Linda C. Haynes et al.
Linda C. Haynes et al.sedative
2 of 2 noun
: a sedative agent or drug
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