1
as in sedatives
something (as a drug) that relieves pain
the dentist waited until the anesthetic took effect
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2
as in narcotics
something that soothes, calms, or induces passivity or a sense of security
he used total immersion in his job as an anesthetic for the empty shell that his marriage had become
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Recent Examples of anesthetics
Also consider topical anesthetics and analgesic patches, or mild transcutaneous neurostimulation such as the TENS device, which applies a low-voltage current to the skin.
—
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2025
Surprisingly, scientists only recently learned how anesthetics trigger unconsciousness.
—Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2025
Surprisingly, scientists only recently learned how anesthetics trigger unconsciousness.
—Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anesthetics
Noun
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Then the key to Finnish success in reducing homelessness is the housing-first model, where the logic is that you're not required to quit using alcohol or narcotics.—
Kristen Edgreen Kaufman,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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Washington has increasingly tied its counter-narcotics push to its broader campaign against the Maduro government.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The drug breaks ground as the first and only in a category of non-opioid analgesics to treat fibromyalgia.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
17 Aug. 2025
Noun
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These chemicals can be even more potent than other opiates and produce comparable hallucinogenic effects, increasing the desirability of the cut fentanyl on the market.—
David Ferrara,
The Enquirer,
4 Sep. 2025
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Boston Magazine reported that during her training she was ultimately dismissed for administering opiates without a doctor’s order and leaving her shift early.—
Christina Coulter,
People.com,
16 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Anesthetics.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anesthetics. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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