as in harmless
not causing or being capable of causing injury or hurt
the otherwise anodyne comments sounded quite inflammatory when taken out of context
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in sedative
something (as a drug) that relieves pain
the dentist prescribed an anodyne after the root canal
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in narcotic
something that soothes, calms, or induces passivity or a sense of security
as an anodyne for the stress and superficiality of the modern world, there's nothing better than reading a literary classic of substance and insight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of anodyne
Big Think, 5 Nov. 2025
This season of The Golden Bachelor is shaping up to be the most anodyne viewing of the fall.
—Ali Barthwell, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025
John Brant, Popular Mechanics, 27 Apr. 2020
This is the confluence that defines the spectacle: statistics, like photographs, have a kind of moral authority, one whose meaning may repel us but one that nevertheless encourages certainty, and thus anodyne.
—Shannon Pufahl, The New York Review of Books, 21 Apr. 2020
See All Example Sentences for anodyne
Adjective
The problem is that to be so universally inoffensive, an affiliative joke usually ends up being overworn and anodyne.
—Big Think, 5 Nov. 2025
This season of The Golden Bachelor is shaping up to be the most anodyne viewing of the fall.
—Ali Barthwell, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025
Noun
Peterson pauses, running his hand along the blue aluminum-anodyne actuator machined to match the length of Daniel’s right thigh.
—John Brant, Popular Mechanics, 27 Apr. 2020
This is the confluence that defines the spectacle: statistics, like photographs, have a kind of moral authority, one whose meaning may repel us but one that nevertheless encourages certainty, and thus anodyne.
—Shannon Pufahl, The New York Review of Books, 21 Apr. 2020
See All Example Sentences for anodyne
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anodyne
Adjective
-
Even seemingly harmless organic compounds from things like cooking meals, laundry detergent, lighting a candle, pets, and cleaning supplies can build up and irritate your airways, says Neil Kao, an allergist based in Greenville, South Carolina.—
Nashia Baker,
Martha Stewart,
19 Feb. 2026
-
While gas itself is common and usually harmless, ongoing bloating or discomfort may be a sign your gut needs more time to adjust.—
Morgan Pearson,
Verywell Health,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
All Florida executions are carried out via lethal injection using a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart, according to the Department of Corrections.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Jon Ruben, a 76-year-old retired British veterinarian, was sentenced to 23 years and 10 months in prison on charges of child abuse after drugging boys with sedative-laden candy last year at a summer camp in England.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Other notable roles over the past two decades include a corrupt narcotics officer in 2001’s Training Day and features on episodes of Hawaii Five-O, Justified, Chicago PD, and the John Wick spinoff series The Continental.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Records show that Brooks is currently on federal supervised release in Kansas for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a narcotics crime.—
Laura Bauer,
Kansas City Star,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The information that has been made public shows that the vast majority of UFO reports made by the military go unsolved but the ones that are identified are largely benign in nature.—
Michelle L. Price,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Greene, who spoke to his manager as recently as two days before he was found dead, had surgery scheduled to remove a benign tumor near his lungs in the coming days, Edward said.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The feds began cracking down on prescription opioid analgesics (OAs) to combat their overprescribing to people with pain issues.—
Steven Greenhut,
Oc Register,
19 Dec. 2025
-
Some studies suggest lemongrass has anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and analgesic (pain-relieving) properties.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
8 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Regardless of the reason, there are many viable options for testing for specific drugs at home, such as marijuana, opiates, cocaine, amphetamines and other drugs.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The illicit love story between the money launderer and the fentanyl trafficker working together to shower New England with deadly opiates came crashing down under the weight of a multi-year federal investigation.—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
And while their place in the NCAA tournament is presumably safe heading into that final stretch, where the Trojans are seeded could swing significantly with a few quality wins.—
Ryan Kartje,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The world’s largest solar-plus-storage project has made a critical achievement that confirms system readiness and safe connection to the Luzon grid.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In many areas, the sheer toxicity of street drugs and the presence of xylazine, an animal tranquilizer associated with severe skin wounds that can require amputation, has led many users to avoid syringes at all costs.—
Lev Facher,
STAT,
12 Feb. 2026
-
After that, officials decided to use tranquilizer darts to take down the animals believed to be the three adults in the pack before euthanizing them.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Anodyne.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anodyne. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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