an·es·thet·ic
ˌa-nəs-ˈthe-tik 
1
: of, relating to, or capable of producing anesthesia
2
: lacking awareness or sensitivity
was anesthetic to their feelings
1
: a substance that produces anesthesia
2
: something that brings relief : palliative
Examples of anesthetic in a Sentence
Noun
The doctor gave him the stitches without an anesthetic.
the dentist waited until the anesthetic took effect
Recent Examples on the Web
Daniel Felsenthal, Pitchfork, 7 Apr. 2026
The singer's 2009 death was officially attributed to the legal anesthetic propofol.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 18 Mar. 2026
Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 8 Apr. 2026
The medical examiner ruled that ketamine, typically used as a surgical anesthetic, was the primary cause of death.
—Andrew Dalton, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for anesthetic
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Adjective
The album’s ideal love is anesthetic, a script for surviving daily chaos and tragedy that doesn’t require reciprocation.
—Daniel Felsenthal, Pitchfork, 7 Apr. 2026
The singer's 2009 death was officially attributed to the legal anesthetic propofol.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 18 Mar. 2026
Noun
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office later attributed his death to an accidental overdose of ketamine, a hallucinogenic anesthetic that in recent years gained popularity as an off-label, unrelated treatment for depression.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 8 Apr. 2026
The medical examiner ruled that ketamine, typically used as a surgical anesthetic, was the primary cause of death.
—Andrew Dalton, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for anesthetic
Cite this Entry
“Anesthetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anesthetic. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
anesthetic
1 of 2 adjective
an·es·thet·ic
ˌan-əs-ˈthet-ik
: of, relating to, or capable of producing anesthesia
anesthetic
2 of 2 noun
: a substance that produces anesthesia in part or all of the body
Medical Definition
anesthetic
1 of 2 adjective
an·es·thet·ic
variants
or chiefly British anaesthetic
1
: capable of producing anesthesia
anesthetic agents
2
: of, relating to, or caused by anesthesia
an anesthetic effect
anesthetic symptoms
anesthetic
2 of 2 noun
variants
or chiefly British anaesthetic
: a substance that produces anesthesia
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