heroin

her·o·in | \ ˈher-ə-wən

, ˈhe-rə- \

Definition of heroin

: a strongly physiologically addictive narcotic C₂₁H₂₃NO₅ that is made by acetylation of but is more potent than morphine and that is prohibited for medical use in the U.S. but is used illicitly for its euphoric effects

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Examples of heroin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In 2014, Roy was sentenced to two years in prison and two years of extended supervision for heroin possession. — Jeff Rumage, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "A customer at the Meijer in Grafton tackled a purse thief to the ground on Christmas Eve, complaint says," 8 Jan. 2020 Jessica Stroup, who struggled with heroin addiction and had been homeless for at least a year, was pronounced dead on Nov. 30, according to the Hamilton County Coroner's Office. — Madeline Mitchell, Cincinnati.com, "'She mattered.' Family of woman, 25, who died in Hamilton County jail seeks answers," 19 Dec. 2019 Matt Peterson, a professional cook who was battling a heroin addiction, wasn't dead. — Beth Warren, The Courier-Journal, "Kentucky father takes son to court: 'It had to be done or we would have lost our son'," 19 Dec. 2019 Potentially the most concerning drop was in admissions for heroin addiction, which fell from 4,145 in 2014 to 3,815. — Erin Allday, SFChronicle.com, "Drug treatment admissions dropping in SF even as overdoses spike. Here’s why," 12 Dec. 2019 At Wednesday’s sentencing hearing, Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Robert J. Colville acknowledged Butler’s misdeeds were motivated by his heroin addiction. — Fox News, "Pennsylvania ex-police chief who stole heroin from evidence room avoids jail," 22 Nov. 2019 Prescription opioid use also is a significant risk factor or gateway to heroin addiction. — Karen Zurawski, Houston Chronicle, "Hospital hosts Crush the Crisis to collect opiods," 16 Sep. 2019 But the case was delayed because of his troubles bonding with his son and his continued involvement with the boy’s mother, who struggles with a heroin addiction. — Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica, "In a Disputed Custody Case, the Children of a Spanish-Speaking Father Will Remain With Their Slovak-Speaking Foster Parents," 29 Aug. 2019 Her mother, Pandora, struggled with heroin addiction. — Julia Felsenthal, Marie Claire, "Cara Delevingne Bares All," 13 Aug. 2019

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

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Last Updated

16 Jan 2020

Cite this Entry

“Heroin.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heroin. Accessed 27 January 2020.

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More Definitions for heroin

heroin

noun

English Language Learners Definition of heroin

: a powerful illegal drug that is made from morphine

See the full definition for heroin in the English Language Learners Dictionary

heroin

noun

her·o·in | \ ˈher-ə-wən

Kids Definition of heroin

: a very harmful illegal drug that is highly addictive and is made from morphine

heroin

noun

her·o·in | \ ˈher-ə-wən

Medical Definition of heroin

: a strongly physiologically addictive narcotic C₂₁H₂₃NO₅ that is made by acetylation of but is more potent than morphine and that is prohibited for medical use in the United States but is used illicitly for its euphoric effects

— called also acetomorphine, diacetylmorphine, diamorphine

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