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
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Recent Examples of anodyne
Elizabeth Spiers, Washington Post, 4 Feb. 2026
While the photos on the pamphlets are anodyne—cheerful workers on assembly lines—the text offers a dire warning of looming job cuts, accusing Germany’s traditional unions of selling out workers.
—William Wilkes, Bloomberg, 27 Jan. 2026
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
Melania’s chronicle of her own life in and around the White House has a vague and eerie ChatGPT-like quality—anodyne statements full of clichés seemingly drafted for an educational video for third graders.
—Elizabeth Spiers, Washington Post, 4 Feb. 2026
While the photos on the pamphlets are anodyne—cheerful workers on assembly lines—the text offers a dire warning of looming job cuts, accusing Germany’s traditional unions of selling out workers.
—William Wilkes, Bloomberg, 27 Jan. 2026
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
-
McCarty adds that while many sleepmaxxing practices are relatively harmless, mouth taping may be the exception.—
Sharon Brandwein,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
-
The bill seeks to hold prospective payees financially harmless by excluding any payouts from their gross income.—
Marie Sapirie,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Noun
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The woman did a Google image search and concluded that the drug was stronger — Ambien, a prescription sedative, reads the complaint.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
9 June 2026
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The attorneys also said prosecutors did not prove the sedative is what killed him.—
Mead Gruver,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
The Eastern Pacific and Caribbean remain major corridors for narcotics trafficking, with cartels frequently using small, fast-moving vessels to transport drugs toward the United States and Central America.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
4 June 2026
-
Doctors have been seeking a non-opioid drug as a less addictive alternative to narcotics.—
Justin Zacks,
CNBC,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
Last year, the president was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a benign condition that causes swelling in his lower legs and one that the White House doctor noted is common in people over 70.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
7 June 2026
-
Stone did not ultimately undergo a double mastectomy, as the tumors were benign.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
Across all participants, 81% reduced their use of oral analgesics, and the suppository was well-tolerated, with most participants willing to use it again.—
Geri Stengel,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
-
One approach to the treatment of pain, almost regardless of its cause, has gained both acceptance and notoriety: the use of opioids, or narcotic analgesics.—
Dr. Patricia Richard,
Hartford Courant,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In 2020, O'Neal had a near-fatal stroke after overdosing on morphine, opiates and pain medication.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
10 May 2026
-
Are laughter and lightness merely opiates, or tools of the revolution, or both, or neither?—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Complimentary reef-safe sunscreen dispensers are available to guests property-wide and beach clean-ups are held regularly with guests invited to join.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
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Another 10 people were detained on May 24 while trying to negotiate safe passage for their convoy at a checkpoint near Sitre, Libya, along the Mediterranean coast less than halfway between Tunisia and Egypt.—
Wafaa Shurafa,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
There are sedatives such as xylazine, street-named Tranq, an animal tranquilizer that can cause fleshrotting skin lesions and is frequently mixed with fentanyl.—
The Week US,
TheWeek,
18 May 2026
-
Naloxone, the ingredient in Narcan, is an antidote for opioid overdoses, but because xylazine is not an opioid, the emergency medicine only stops the effects of fentanyl, not the tranquilizer, making those who overdose more likely to have lethal repercussions.—
Anna Giaritelli,
The Washington Examiner,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Anodyne.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anodyne. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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