: a bitter crystalline addictive narcotic base C17H19NO3 that is the principal alkaloid of opium and is used in the form of a soluble salt (such as a hydrochloride or a sulfate) as an analgesic and sedative
Examples of morphine in a Sentence
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The drugs included protonitazene and metonitazene, two synthetic opioids with respective potencies of 100 and 200 times more powerful than morphine, court documents say.
—
David Ferrara, The Enquirer, 4 Sep. 2025
Research from Japan suggests that 7-OH may be 13 times as powerful as morphine; small wonder that more than half of regular kratom users, per one study, experience severe dependency.
—Kevin Sabet, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
There are also concerns that taking ginger with strong painkillers such as morphine may intensify the drug’s effects.
—Abby Norman, Verywell Health, 27 Aug. 2025
At its nadir, when Rayya is gobbling morphine pills and shooting cocaine and snarling at hospice nurses, Gilbert begins questioning the nature of existence.
—Jia Tolentino, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
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David Ferrara, The Enquirer, 4 Sep. 2025
Research from Japan suggests that 7-OH may be 13 times as powerful as morphine; small wonder that more than half of regular kratom users, per one study, experience severe dependency.
—Kevin Sabet, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
There are also concerns that taking ginger with strong painkillers such as morphine may intensify the drug’s effects.
—Abby Norman, Verywell Health, 27 Aug. 2025
At its nadir, when Rayya is gobbling morphine pills and shooting cocaine and snarling at hospice nurses, Gilbert begins questioning the nature of existence.
—Jia Tolentino, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for morphine
Cite this Entry
“Morphine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/morphine. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
morphine
noun
mor·phine
ˈmȯr-ˌfēn 
: a bitter white habit-forming narcotic drug made from opium and used especially to deaden pain
Etymology
derived from Morpheus "Greek god of dreams"
Medical Definition
morphine
noun
mor·phine
ˈmȯr-ˌfēn
: a bitter crystalline addictive narcotic base C17H19NO3 that is the principal alkaloid of opium and is used in the form of its hydrated sulfate (C17H19NO3)2·H2SO4·5H2O or hydrated hydrochloride C17H19NO3·HCl·3H2O as an analgesic and sedative
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