DEPRESSANT Synonyms: 48 Similar and Opposite Words

depressant

adjective

Definition of depressant

as in sedative

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of depressant At the time of the 1998 murder-suicide, Brynn had cocaine, alcohol and a prescription anti-depressant in her system, The New York Times reported. — Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026 The drink is known for its mild euphoria and depressant effects. — Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for depressant

Adjective

Sometimes his approach is so left-of-center that whole lines feel arrhythmic, but there’s a sedative allure in the way his sweet melodies find stasis in the chaos.

— Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 31 July 2026
The firm’s employees took Quaaludes, a sedative medication, like candy, hired prostitutes regularly, and held gambling sprees in Monte Carlo and Las Vegas.

— Kalia Richardson, USA Today, 14 July 2026

Definition of sedative

Adjective

Because poppy seeds come from the same plant species used to produce opiates, consuming large amounts can sometimes lead to detectable levels of opiate compounds in urine tests.

— Daryl Austin, USA Today, 19 July 2026
Because Demerol is an opiate, doctors would have needed to administer Narcan to reverse its effects, detectives wrote.

— Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026

Definition of opiate

Adjective

The reform also significantly expanded access to medical cannabis by removing it from the country's list of narcotic drugs, simplifying medical cannabis prescribing.

— Dario Sabaghi, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
The collection also accepts medical sharps, including diabetic needles, blood lancets, insulin pens, epi-pens, syringes, expired over-the-counter medicines and non-narcotic prescriptions.

— Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026

Definition of narcotic

Adjective

Jim James has released a new single from his first solo LP in eight years, Wowed Out, sharing its hypnotic title track alongside a new music video.

— Sophie Miller, Rolling Stone, 28 July 2026
Indeed, by then, the hypnotic spell had been cast across all of Europe, including on those liberated from the drab tyrannies of actually existing socialism.

— Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026

Definition of hypnotic

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depress

depressant

depressed

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“Depressant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/depressant. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of depressant

adjective

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