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
Charlie Harding,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
Still, there are moments in this mostly anodyne recap when Liza — who turns 80 on March 12 and has fought a litany of health problems — lets loose.
—
Literary Hub,
12 Mar. 2026
Ezra Dyer,
Car and Driver,
13 Mar. 2020
The result of all that rulemaking and political sensitivity is the anodyne Covid-19.
—
Adam Rogers,
Wired,
11 Feb. 2020
See All Example Sentences for anodyne
Adjective
It’s meant to be like soda — kind of empty pop calories — to lull you into the seemingly anodyne sounds of the Saja Boys.
—
Charlie Harding,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
Still, there are moments in this mostly anodyne recap when Liza — who turns 80 on March 12 and has fought a litany of health problems — lets loose.
—
Literary Hub,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
Ten years ago, lazy auto writers used the Toyota Camry as shorthand for anodyne transportation, a car for people who think of cars as appliances.
—
Ezra Dyer,
Car and Driver,
13 Mar. 2020
The result of all that rulemaking and political sensitivity is the anodyne Covid-19.
—
Adam Rogers,
Wired,
11 Feb. 2020
See All Example Sentences for anodyne
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anodyne
Adjective
-
The Korean Football Association was furious, responding to this juvenile, but ultimately harmless, prattle by boycotting the Korean press.
-
Everyday activities like showering and cooking can create indoor condensation that may appear harmless, but can actually pose serious problems if it's not controlled.
Noun
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All Florida executions are carried out by lethal injection of a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart, according to the Department of Corrections.
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In addition, a sedative such as diazepam (Valium) is often prescribed to reduce anxiety.
Noun
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The oldest defendant, 70-year-old Glenn Middleton, is charged with firearm and narcotics offenses and accused of storing items used in the conspiracy.
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The seizures added up to about 420 grams of cocaine, $2,291 in cash, a rifle, four pistols, various magazines and ammunition, and digital scales and packaging materials believed to be used in narcotics distribution, the sheriff's office said.
Adjective
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But at that point, the headlines were still focused on relatively benign annoyances like car engines conking out, or a bridge getting stuck on Roosevelt Road.
-
Such a seemingly benign move puts Ethiopia in opposition to China’s monopoly and is a rebuke of the former object of Ethiopian emulation.
Noun
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But the 7-OH industry has organized against the potential prohibition, claiming 7-OH is kratom, despite only appearing in trace amounts within the leaves of the kratom plant, and that its benefits as an analgesic outweigh its potential harms.
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Across all participants, 81% reduced their use of oral analgesics, and the suppository was well-tolerated, with most participants willing to use it again.
Noun
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So far this year, alcohol has become EPICC’s leading referral category, followed by methamphetamine and opiates.
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Once drug use crossed class and racial lines, the Harrison Narcotics Tax Act was passed in 1914, a federal law criminalizing the sale and use of opiates.
Adjective
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Air conditioning will be keeping millions of Americans safe and comfortable over the holiday weekend as a heat dome brings dangerous conditions to millions.
-
Los Robles officials said that staff, patients and visitors were safe and that medical care was not interrupted at the hospital.
Noun
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The worrisome drug withdrawal popping up in jails A powerful tranquilizer has started to accompany fentanyl in the country’s illicit opioid supply, and jails are struggling to handle the drug’s excruciating, complicated withdrawal symptoms.
-
When Krem takes off in Kara’s spacecraft, a rusted hulk that’s like an interplanetary RV, and shoots her beloved dog Krypto with a lethal tranquilizer that will result in agonizing death in three days, Kara joins Ruthye on her revenge quest.
Cite this Entry
“Anodyne.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anodyne. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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