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
Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2025
This statement, which may now strike us as anodyne, offended a good many of her friends, including the married ones.
—James Marcus, New Yorker, 2 June 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
For Worse isn’t all bad; bits of it are intriguing and the rest is too anodyne to get worked up about.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2025
This statement, which may now strike us as anodyne, offended a good many of her friends, including the married ones.
—James Marcus, New Yorker, 2 June 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 grunting, the couple now know, was not harmless.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 July 2025
-
For most people, drinking a concoction of OJ, coconut water and pink salt is pretty darn harmless and could even be beneficial.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
5 July 2025
Noun
-
Kelson has learned to live in peace surrounded by violence, and chooses to subdue the infected with sedatives rather than slay them.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
-
Sometimes, passengers combine sedatives with alcohol on a long flight, which can easily turn into an in-flight incident meriting an emergency landing and an arrest.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
17 June 2025
Noun
-
The suspects, who included minors, were apprehended at or near a Hays County residence, and narcotics were seized, officials said in a statement Wednesday.—
Elizabeth Zavala,
Austin American Statesman,
2 July 2025
-
Police officials in a statement Monday said the man appeared to be under the influence of narcotics and was later found to be in possession of cocaine.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
1 July 2025
Adjective
-
In the first half of 2025, inflation data has been largely benign, but the worst may be yet to come: Goldman Sachs economists predict core PCE inflation will surge to 3.4% by December, which would be the highest rate since 2023.—
Danielle Chemtob,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
-
Finland has been a benign competitor since its 2005 semifinal stunner.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
Turmeric may have similar effects to analgesics, medicines used to relieve pain.—
Lana Barhum,
Verywell Health,
18 June 2025
-
Not to mention, future science could also lead to an entirely different analgesic that functions better and with fewer downsides, Dr. Espey points out.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
21 May 2025
Noun
-
My niece and then my sister reached out to me because my niece has been using opiates heavily, which cost her a job and almost led to her being incarcerated.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Mercury News,
12 May 2025
-
Members of Hinge Health can access virtual exercise therapy and an electrical nerve stimulation device called Enso that’s designed to serve as an alternative to pain medications like opiates.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The linen cotton blend isn’t see-through and is safe to machine wash on a gentle cycle and even tumble dry on low afterward.—
Jacquelyn Smith,
Parents,
12 July 2025
-
While vinegar is safe for most types of glass, there are a few glass surfaces not suited for this natural cleaner.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
12 July 2025
Adjective
-
Comprehensive cell phone analysis can be just as powerful in clearing innocent drivers by proving no user interaction occurred.—
Lars Daniel,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
-
But the alternative is much worse: a world where the loss of innocent life is treated as inescapable, where no calamity can be prevented or bad situation reformed.—
Olga Khazan,
The Atlantic,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Anodyne.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anodyne. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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