narcotic
noun
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Definition of narcotic
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a : a drug (such as opium or morphine) that in moderate doses dulls the senses, relieves pain, and induces profound sleep but in excessive doses causes stupor, coma, or convulsions
b : a drug (such as marijuana or LSD) subject to restriction similar to that of addictive narcotics whether physiologically (see physiological) addictive and narcotic or not
2 : something that soothes, relieves, or lulls a public comforted by the narcotic of military supremacy
narcotic
adjectiveDefinition of narcotic (Entry 2 of 2)
1a : having the properties of or yielding a narcotic
b : inducing mental lethargy
2 : of, induced by, or concerned with narcotics
3 : of, involving, or intended for narcotic addicts
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Other Words from narcotic
Adjective
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adverb
Synonyms & Antonyms for narcotic
Synonyms: Noun
Synonyms: Adjective
drowsy, hypnotic, opiate, sleepy, slumberous (or slumbrous), somniferous, somnolent, soporific
Antonyms: Adjective
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Examples of narcotic in a Sentence
Noun
an irradicable sense of self-righteousness seems to be the narcotic that inures these religious fanatics from any realization of the harm they have doneAdjective
some therapists believe that certain scents can have a narcotic effect on people the lecturer droned on in a narcotic monotone that eventually had the entire class struggling to stay awake
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Bank records showed that inmates' payments for the narcotics were deposited into their company's bank accounts as well as personal accounts held by Rodriguez and Mendez. — Jay Weaver, miamiherald, "Inmates liked being served these legal papers. They were soaked with synthetic pot.," 31 May 2018 Police are testing several substances found at the scene of Painter’s death for narcotics. — Aurelie Corinthios, PEOPLE.com, "Remembering the Late Deadliest Catch Stars, from Phil Harris to Blake Painter," 30 May 2018 Research scientists and medical organizations say that people with opioid addictions are far likelier to survive when treated with therapy that includes medicines that block their chemical craving for narcotics. — Ginger Christ, cleveland.com, "A 'disservice' to people? U.S. Senate candidate Mike Gibbons' addiction center uses controversial methods," 27 Apr. 2018 Both women, like McCauley and Hofschulz, are licensed as advanced practice nurse prescribers who can write prescriptions for narcotics. — Bruce Vielmetti, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Feds suspect Milwaukee area pain clinic could be 'pill mill' feeding the opioid crisis," 5 Apr. 2018 Reed’s arrest in 2017 came as police across the state targeted narcotics dealers suspected of distributing drugs that caused death or serious injury to users, according to U.S. Attorney John H. Dunham. — Don Stacom, courant.com, "Waterbury Man Pleads Guilty To Distributing Heroin," 4 Apr. 2018 He was charged with four counts of narcotics and weapons offenses. — Keldy Ortiz, USA TODAY, "Police searching for rapper Juelz Santana after TSA found gun on him at Newark Airport," 10 Mar. 2018 But authorities say a tougher approach on drugs is now needed as the country has increasingly became an international transit hub for narcotics. — Casey Quackenbush, Time, "Sri Lanka Will Start Hanging Its Drug Dealers to 'Replicate the Success of Philippines'," 12 July 2018 Today’s drug crisis is the latest iteration in America’s legacy with narcotics. — Jeffrey Fleishman, latimes.com, "Documentary films explore the despair of America's heroin and opioid epidemic," 6 July 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
The hospital said those patients had received narcotic, antihistamine or sedative injections while the nurse was working. — Fox News, "Hospital warns 2,600 ER patients to test for Hepatitis C," 1 May 2018 Hines is accused of bringing the prescription narcotic painkiller suboxone, which is also used to treat opioid addition, to Gadd's home on East 140th Street. — Adam Ferrise, cleveland.com, "Children services had prior complaints about Cleveland mom charged in overdose death of 2-year-old," 23 Apr. 2018 Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, has been accused of aggressively marketing the powerful narcotic despite its knowledge the drug was being abused. — Washington Post, "The Health 202: These are the five senators to watch in the Supreme Court nomination fight," 29 June 2018 Before long, these taboo substances once again seemed less a malign narcotic than a potentially powerful medication. — Tom Bissell, New York Times, "Michael Pollan Drops Acid — and Comes Back From His Trip Convinced," 4 June 2018 Rivera distributed the narcotic this year in Lawrence and Methuen from at least May 16 through June 7, federal prosecutors said. — Katie Camero, BostonGlobe.com, "Two men charged with fentanyl conspiracy," 11 July 2018 Deputies located prescription narcotic pills inside his vehicle. — Ahmed Elbenni, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Drunken driver crashed into motorcyclist, then backed up over him, Sheriff's Office says," 5 July 2018 For decades, the Sacklers of Purdue Pharma convinced medical professionals and trusting citizens that narcotic painkillers were safe. — Sarah Mupo, STAT, "The 39 best health and science books to read this summer," 25 June 2018 Use of narcotic painkillers before high-school graduation strongly predicts later opioid misuse, as well as heroin use. — WSJ, "Should the Government Limit a Physician’s Ability to Treat Patients With Opioids?," 24 June 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'narcotic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for narcotic
narcotic
noun
English Language Learners Definition of narcotic
: a drug (such as cocaine, heroin, or marijuana) that affects the brain and that is usually dangerous and illegal
medical : a drug that is given to people in small amounts to make them sleep or feel less pain
See the full definition for narcotic in the English Language Learners Dictionary
narcotic
noun
\
Kids Definition of narcotic
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a drug that in small doses dulls the senses, relieves pain, and brings on sleep but in larger doses has dangerous effects, that includes some (as morphine) that are used in medicine and others (as heroin) that are used illegally, and that often causes addiction
narcotic
adjectiveKids Definition of narcotic (Entry 2 of 2)
: of, relating to, or being a narcotic narcotic drugs narcotic laws
narcotic
noun
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Medical Definition of narcotic
(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : a drug (as codeine, methadone, or morphine) that in moderate doses dulls the senses, relieves pain, and induces profound sleep but in excessive doses causes stupor, coma, or convulsions
2 : a drug (as marijuana or LSD) subject to restriction similar to that of addictive narcotics whether in fact physiologically addictive and narcotic or not
narcotic
adjectiveMedical Definition of narcotic (Entry 2 of 2)
1 : having the properties of or yielding a narcotic
2 : of, induced by, or concerned with narcotics
3 : of, involving, or intended for narcotic addicts
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