Adjective
some people find a glass of wine to be a civilized and sedative addition to an evening meal Noun
The patient was given a powerful sedative.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adjective
The state appears to now use two doses of the sedative pentobarbital, with the attorneys saying the inmates drown in a rush of fluid into their lungs but are paralyzed and cannot react.—Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2025 Nitrous oxide is commonly used as an inhaled sedative tool in medical procedures, the Cleveland Clinic explains.—Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
Noun
That specific request was made because those three drugs combine to make BAM, a powerful animal sedative that authorities allege Barry used to kill his wife.—Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025 Florida’s lethal injections are carried out with a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart, according to the state Department of Corrections.—Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sedative
Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English, alleviating pain, from Middle French sedatif, from Medieval Latin sedativus, from Latin sedatus
Share