opiate

noun opi·ate \ ˈō-pē-ət , -ˌāt \

|Updated on: 16 Aug 2018

Definition of opiate

1 a : a drug (such as morphine or codeine) containing or derived from opium and tending to induce sleep and alleviate pain; broadly : narcotic 1a

b : opioid 1

2 : something that induces rest or inaction or quiets uneasiness

regarded television as an opiate

See opiate defined for English-language learners

See opiate defined for kids

Examples of opiate in a Sentence

Many see television as an opiate of the masses.
a cultural critic who argues that the Internet has now joined television as an opiate of the American people

Recent Examples of opiate from the Web

The center specializes in providing assistance to senior citizens, veterans and those wishing to reduce their dependency on opiate pain-killers.

— austen erblat, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Community Cannabis Center opens in Delray Beach," 4 June 2018
Most frequent fliers were pill poppers, opiate addicts looking to get more pain meds.

— wesley snipes, The Root, "Talon of God," 27 May 2018
In West Virginia, the VA in Huntington has prescribed take-home opiates at a rate about 230 percent higher than the national average.

— patrik jonsson, The Christian Science Monitor, "As war vets enter the fray, stigma lessens around cannabis," 5 July 2018
New Jersey's, for example, says patients with acute pain should, initially, get no more than a five-day supply, while Massachusetts sets the cap at seven days for a patient prescribed opiates for the first time.

— julie appleby, chicagotribune.com, "Doling out pain pills post-surgery: An ingrown toenail not the same as a bypass," 27 June 2018
New Jersey’s, for example, says patients with acute pain should, initially, get no more than a five-day supply, while Massachusetts sets the cap at seven days for a patient prescribed opiates for the first time.

— julie appleby, Washington Post, "Doling Out Pain Pills Post-Surgery: An Ingrown Toenail Not The Same As A Bypass," 22 June 2018
The driver was slumped over, unconscious, having overdosed on opiates.

— gal tziperman lotan, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Injured officer got award for stopping runaway truck, records show," 21 June 2018
The career horse groomer had been using opiates for nearly two decades.

— bailey loosemore, The Courier-Journal, "Track workers confront their addictions through a little-known program at Churchill Downs," 27 Apr. 2018
As the government cracks down on legal opiates, users are turning to heroin as a less expensive substitute.

— tracey helton mitchell, Woman's Day, "This Is What It's Really Like to be a Mom and a Recovering Heroin Addict," 14 July 2016

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

First Known Use of opiate

15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

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opiate Synonyms

Synonyms

narcotic;

Related Words

pacifier, palliative;

hypnotic, sedative, soporific, tranquilizer (also tranquillizer);

Other Drug/Tobacco Terms

controlled, flake, herb, key, sodden

opiate

adjective

Definition of opiate

1 a : containing or mixed with opium

b : of, relating to, binding, or being an opiate

opiate receptors

2 a : inducing sleep : narcotic

b : causing dullness or inaction

Examples of opiate in a Sentence

morphine is an opiate drug

Recent Examples of opiate from the Web

To this administration, opiate addiction isn’t primarily about demand — about treating addicts and saving lives.

— yvonne abraham, BostonGlobe.com, "The truth about Lawrence," 14 July 2018
The Nebraska State Patrol seized 118 pounds of fentanyl in April, making it the largest seizure of the opiate drug in the state's history.

— joel shannon, USA TODAY, "Near a Nebraska town, cops seize enough opioids to kill over 26 million," 26 May 2018
The Obama Foundation Fellowship selected Kang to keep up his civic engagement by building a comprehensive continuum of care for those with opiate addiction.

— terry demio, Cincinnati.com, "'There is hope.' Mercy Health psychologist gets Obama fellowship for addiction work," 24 Apr. 2018
Doctors often treat that condition with opiate medication, despite little evidence that opiates are actually effective for it.

— christopher ingraham, chicagotribune.com, "Two new studies show how marijuana can help fight the opioid epidemic," 2 Apr. 2018
The study was co-funded by Intelligent Fingerprinting, which makes a drug test that uses the sweat from fingerprints to test for cocaine, cannabis, and opiate use.

— emily price, Fortune, "You May Have Traces of Cocaine or Heroin on Your Fingertips Right Now," 22 Mar. 2018
More problematic is that some clinics, like Zong’s, offer a mix of services — treatment for both opiate addiction and pain.

— brian rinker, Washington Post, "A Battered Doctor, A Slain Patient And A Family’s Quest For Answers," 13 Mar. 2018
Opioid and opiate drugs bind to and activate opioid receptors in your brain, gut, and spinal cord.

— tessie castillo, SELF, "Here Are the Medications You Should Never Mix With Opioids," 6 Mar. 2018
Kirsch's announcement to designate someone to deal with opioid and opiate crimes came a day after charges were unsealed against a doctor at a Munster medical practice who allegedly over-prescribed painkillers to an undercover individual.

— craig lyons, Post-Tribune, "Federal prosecutor named to focus on opioid crimes in Northwest Indiana," 23 Jan. 2018

First Known Use of opiate

1543

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

opiate Synonyms

Other Drug/Tobacco Terms

controlled, flake, herb, key, sodden

OPIATE Defined for English Language Learners

opiate

noun

Definition of opiate for English Language Learners

: a drug (such as morphine or codeine) that is made from opium and that is used to reduce pain or cause sleep
: something that causes people to ignore problems and to relax instead of doing things that need to be done

Medical Dictionary

opiate

noun opi·ate \ ˈō-pē-ət , -ˌāt \

medical Definition of opiate

1 : a drug (as morphine, heroin, and codeine) containing or derived from opium and tending to induce sleep and to alleviate pain; broadly : narcotic 1

2 : opioid 1 —not used technically