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
Relevance
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
Steven Levy, Wired News, 28 Mar. 2025
And so over a buffet dinner in an anodyne conference room, the Creative Coalition group strategized over what arguments would work — people who’ve spent their lives convincing producers and studio executives to hire them figuring out which of those skills ported to the C-SPAN set.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 2 May 2025
Adam Rogers, Wired, 11 Feb. 2020
To yield to the soft tyranny of transgender pronouns is to pretend that gender dysphoria is an anodyne lifestyle on which societal legitimacy should be conferred, not a psychological malady requiring compassion and psychological treatment.
—Josh Hammer, National Review, 27 Jan. 2020
See All Example Sentences for anodyne
Adjective
Take something as seemingly anodyne as solving math problems, which can sometimes be a surprising weakness in LLMs.
—Steven Levy, Wired News, 28 Mar. 2025
And so over a buffet dinner in an anodyne conference room, the Creative Coalition group strategized over what arguments would work — people who’ve spent their lives convincing producers and studio executives to hire them figuring out which of those skills ported to the C-SPAN set.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 2 May 2025
Noun
The result of all that rulemaking and political sensitivity is the anodyne Covid-19.
—Adam Rogers, Wired, 11 Feb. 2020
To yield to the soft tyranny of transgender pronouns is to pretend that gender dysphoria is an anodyne lifestyle on which societal legitimacy should be conferred, not a psychological malady requiring compassion and psychological treatment.
—Josh Hammer, National Review, 27 Jan. 2020
See All Example Sentences for anodyne
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anodyne
Adjective
-
The parchment tube worm is a couple of inches long and about a half-inch wide and is harmless, Seid said.—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 June 2025
-
Generally, face yoga exercises are harmless, Alam said.—
Kameryn Griesser,
CNN Money,
21 June 2025
Noun
-
The Mayo Clinic says that kratom can be used in low doses as a stimulant, and at higher doses as a sedative.—
Marni Rose McFall,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 June 2025
-
To name a few: Anti-seizure drugs, antidepressants, and sedatives are all known to cause dizziness as a side effect.—
Rachel Nall,
SELF,
17 June 2025
Noun
-
Prosecutors allege that Carvajal played a key role in coordinating large-scale cocaine shipments to the United States, using his official position to protect narcotics operations and facilitate deals with foreign insurgent groups, most notably Colombia’s FARC.—
Antonio Maria Delgado,
Miami Herald,
25 June 2025
-
On Monday, the Suarez brothers admitted to first-degree charges of leading a narcotics trafficking network and possessing a handgun for an unlawful purpose, the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office said in a news release.—
Muri Assunção,
New York Daily News,
24 June 2025
Adjective
-
The run of play seemed benign — rookie defender Ian Pilcher, 21, herding the ball in San Diego’s defensive half.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 June 2025
-
For starters, the city already faces annual budget deficits of nearly $10 billion within four years, assuming a benign economic forecast.—
Antonio Weiss,
New York Daily News,
15 June 2025
Noun
-
It’s known for its potential therapeutic benefits, including anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anti-anxiety properties.—
Matt Rozo,
Mercury News,
28 Mar. 2025
-
There are several topical analgesic (pain-relieving) creams that contain turmeric and other ingredients like menthol, camphor, and methyl salicylate.—
Rebeca Schiller,
Verywell Health,
16 May 2025
Noun
-
Some of these common drugs include antacids, antidepressants, blood pressure medication, iron supplements, and opiates (narcotics). Polyps or tumors: A blockage in the intestine caused by a large growth (a polyp) or a tumor prevents stool from passing.—
Amber J. Tresca,
Verywell Health,
4 June 2025
-
Second, those with substance use disorder, who consume opiates knowingly.—
Dr. Yifrah Kaminer,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
On Wednesday, the White House continued to warn that Americans are not safe using TikTok, though, despite leaving Americans vulnerable for an extended period that could now stretch to eight months.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
18 June 2025
-
Moore's original proposal was to have the safe camp located at the Walker property off of Huntsville Road.—
Grace Hurt,
Arkansas Online,
18 June 2025
Adjective
-
On July 8, U.S. soldiers escorting a train fired at crowds in Hammond, killing an innocent bystander.—
Robert Loerzel,
Chicago Tribune,
22 June 2025
-
Night in West Texas is a probing look at the cracks in the American justice system and how one innocent man so easily slipped through them.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
21 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Anodyne.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anodyne. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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