heroin

noun

her·​o·​in ˈher-ə-wən 

ˈhe-rə-

: 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

heroinism

ˈher-ə-wə-ˌni-zəm 

ˈhe-rə-

noun

Examples of heroin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Douglas said Cameron was addicted to cocaine and heroin, dealt methamphetamine and carried a Glock for protection. — Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Meanwhile, a large percentage of the fentanyl, cocaine and heroin seized along the border was being smuggled in cars and trucks passing through checkpoints, not the areas in between. — ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026

The second began in 2010, when heroin, made cheaper by more efficient distribution, flooded the illicit market just as federal authorities began to tighten regulations on prescription opioids. — Mary Jane Gibson, Rolling Stone, 13 Oct. 2026

According to Colombian police accounts cited by El Tiempo, Pulido coordinated the shipment of approximately two tons of cocaine and 17 kilograms of heroin to Europe in 1999. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

from Heroin, a trademark

First Known Use

1898, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for heroin

• heroine

Kids Definition

heroin

noun

her·​o·​in ˈher-ə-wən 

: a strongly addictive drug made from the opium poppy and stronger than morphine

Medical Definition

heroin

noun

her·​o·​in ˈher-ə-wən 

: 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