as in hypnotic
tending to cause sleep
morphine is an opiate drug
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in narcotic
something that soothes, calms, or induces passivity or a sense of security
a cultural critic who argues that the Internet has now joined television as an opiate of the American people
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of opiate
Jeff Nguyen, CBS News, 17 Nov. 2025
Skaggs’ attorneys utilized last week’s testimony to establish how a team doctor’s opiate prescriptions exacerbated Eric Kay’s addiction, and how, according to multiple former employees, that addiction became evident throughout the organization.
—Sam Blum, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
Jillian Taylor, StateImpact, 16 Jan. 2026
At the dawn of the 20th century, American medicines were often laced with alcohol, opiates, or narcotics.
—Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for opiate
Adjective
Taylor has been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disease, and an opiate use disorder.
—Jeff Nguyen, CBS News, 17 Nov. 2025
Skaggs’ attorneys utilized last week’s testimony to establish how a team doctor’s opiate prescriptions exacerbated Eric Kay’s addiction, and how, according to multiple former employees, that addiction became evident throughout the organization.
—Sam Blum, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
Noun
But Clarke is worried about patients losing out on things like steroid injections, which help manage pain without opiates or surgery.
—Jillian Taylor, StateImpact, 16 Jan. 2026
At the dawn of the 20th century, American medicines were often laced with alcohol, opiates, or narcotics.
—Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for opiate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opiate
Adjective
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Later in the book, after Thomas has died, the narrator visits Max at his home in California, where another hypnotic two-hander unfolds.—
Giles Harvey,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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Watching hummingbirds is very Zen-like, almost hypnotic.—
Ernie Cowan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The warrant was issued as part of an investigation into narcotics violations, police said.—
Mike Darnay,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
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According to court documents approving his pre-trial detention, Woods was already a felon and was on electronic monitoring in a federal narcotics case at the time of the shooting.—
Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In Ohio, the recent trend among people who use fentanyl is to find pills spiked with an animal tranquilizer that causes severe addiction, said Beckman, of the Hamilton County Quick Response Team.—
Kaitlin Coward,
Boston Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
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According to court records, a powerful animal tranquilizer known as BAM — a combination of butorphanol, azaperone and medetomidine — was found in her bone marrow.—
Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Meanwhile, one of Iran’s largest producers of anti-cancer drugs and anesthetics was hit on Tuesday, state media reported.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2026
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Ketamine, which has long been used as an anesthetic, has drawn growing academic interest in recent years.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Opiate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opiate. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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