anesthetic 1 of 2

1
as in sedative
something (as a drug) that relieves pain the dentist waited until the anesthetic took effect

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2
as in narcotic
something that soothes, calms, or induces passivity or a sense of security he used total immersion in his job as an anesthetic for the empty shell that his marriage had become

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anesthetic

2 of 2

adjective

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of anesthetic
Noun
Ketamine is known as a dissociative anesthetic or dissociative hallucinogen. David Oliver, USA Today, 16 May 2025 On April 3, he was called to administer anesthetic shots for horses at a property located about 60 miles west of Las Vegas, Shawna Gonzalez, the property owner, told 8 News Now. Lesley Cosme Torres, People.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
The Food and Drug Administration has formally approved the use of ketamine only as an anesthetic in medical procedures. Kirsten Grind, New York Times, 30 May 2025 Xenon is expensive, which has limited its use as an anesthetic and in athletics. Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 29 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for anesthetic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anesthetic
Noun
  • The Mayo Clinic says that kratom can be used in low doses as a stimulant, and at higher doses as a sedative.
    Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 June 2025
  • To name a few: Anti-seizure drugs, antidepressants, and sedatives are all known to cause dizziness as a side effect.
    Rachel Nall, SELF, 17 June 2025
Noun
  • Prosecutors allege that Carvajal played a key role in coordinating large-scale cocaine shipments to the United States, using his official position to protect narcotics operations and facilitate deals with foreign insurgent groups, most notably Colombia’s FARC.
    Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 25 June 2025
  • On Monday, the Suarez brothers admitted to first-degree charges of leading a narcotics trafficking network and possessing a handgun for an unlawful purpose, the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office said in a news release.
    Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 24 June 2025
Adjective
  • For extra strength, search for analgesic throat lozenges, which contain additional pain-fighting ingredients like menthol or benzocaine.
    Jenna Anderson, Health, 26 June 2025
  • One of the primary appeals of medical marijuana is its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.
    Tribune Content Agency, Mercury News, 20 May 2025
Noun
  • Buzbee also said that many of his clients claim Puff used horse tranquilizers to sedate them.
    Jessica Bennett, VIBE.com, 2 Oct. 2024
  • According to the municipal code, tranquilizers can be used as a means of capture.
    Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 30 May 2025
Noun
  • Some of these common drugs include antacids, antidepressants, blood pressure medication, iron supplements, and opiates (narcotics). Polyps or tumors: A blockage in the intestine caused by a large growth (a polyp) or a tumor prevents stool from passing.
    Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 4 June 2025
  • Second, those with substance use disorder, who consume opiates knowingly.
    Dr. Yifrah Kaminer, Hartford Courant, 25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • But the tools seem to exert a hypnotic effect, causing the constant flow of suggestions to override the writer’s own voice.
    Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 25 June 2025
  • Not perfectly, mind you, but there is something almost hypnotic about driving down dirt roads with nothing but horizon in all directions.
    Rich Tabaka, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
Adjective
  • So is the problem with public education that schools have become anodyne and antiseptic, focused on pedagogy over content knowledge and love of reading books, soulless and viewless?
    Ryan Craig, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
  • For Worse isn’t all bad; bits of it are intriguing and the rest is too anodyne to get worked up about.
    Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Anesthetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anesthetic. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.

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