fentanyl

noun fen·ta·nyl \ ˈfen-tə-ˌnil \

|Updated on: 16 Aug 2018

Definition of fentanyl

: a synthetic opioid narcotic analgesic C₂₂H₂₈N₂O with pharmacological action similar to morphine that is administered transdermally as a skin patch and in the form of its citrate C₂₂H₂₈N₂O·C₆H₈O₇ is administered orally or parenterally (as by intravenous or epidural injection)

Recent Examples of fentanyl from the Web

Cerda's organization was responsible for trafficking cocaine and fentanyl from the Houston area to Beaumont and further east.

— john d. harden, Houston Chronicle, "Baytown man pleads guilty to federal drug, money laundering violations," 12 June 2018
Under Nevada's new execution protocol, the inmate is next given fentanyl and then cisatracurium, one to slow his breathing, the other to stop it.

— author: ken ritter, michelle l. price, Anchorage Daily News, "Execution blocked after company objects to use of its drug," 12 July 2018
And that's been followed by an onslaught of fentanyl and its derivatives,which are tainting drug supplies raising death counts.

— terry demio, Cincinnati.com, "Ohio to give nearly $3 million to tech business making abuse-resistant opioid," 10 July 2018
The scheduled doses and delivery of fentanyl and cisatracurium were not changed.

— ken ritter, The Seattle Times, "Nevada switches drug to be used in 1st execution since 2006," 3 July 2018
The drug trade has grown — cultivation of poppies is up and Mexico has started manufacturing fentanyl and other synthetic drugs — and violence has exploded.

— kate linthicum, latimes.com, "Is amnesty the answer for Mexico's bloody drug war? The country's likely next president thinks it might be," 29 June 2018
The group's April survey of 343 hospital pharmacists found 98 percent had dealt with moderate or severe shortages of the key opioids for treating serious pain: morphine, fentanyl and hydromorphone, better known as Dilaudid.

— linda a. johnson, chicagotribune.com, "The other opioid crisis: Hospitals grapple with prolonged injected opioid shortage," 28 June 2018
Engineering professor Subith Vasu is working on a device embedded with sensors that can detect levels of specific substances in the air, including the opioids fentanyl and Carfentanil.

— marco santana, OrlandoSentinel.com, "UCF researcher gets $1 million grant to help protect emergency personnel from opioids," 28 June 2018
But the images of children being trafficked and cartel members who are pumping our country with fentanyl and heroin, they are being enriched because of this human trafficking and the coyote smuggling, all have to pay after the cartels.

— Fox News, "Border Patrol official: Disgusting to attack border agents," 22 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fentanyl.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.