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 Clancy’s psychiatrist already took the stand to discuss the defendant’s anxiety in September, which turned into insomnia in October, after she was prescribed the anti-depressant Zoloft. — Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 11 Aug. 2026 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

Her pencil produced a soft scrubbing sound, filling the room with a sedative rhythm.

— Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
But the police also caution that many stories involving scopolamine verge on urban legend, and confirm that most criminals use other sedative drugs to manipulate their victims.

— Mattha Busby, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 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

Written with collaborators such as Kevin McCall and Sevyn Streeter, the lyrics skew unrepentant fuckboy, the sound narcotic.

— Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2026
The only comparable case in the last three years involved Los Nogales, a restaurant in Meeker, which allegedly dispensed antibiotics and non-narcotic cough medicines.

— Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of narcotic

Adjective

Yayoi Kusama, the Japanese artist known for her hypnotic, repetitive polka dot artworks, died earlier this week at the age of 97.

— Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Her hypnotic, unconventional works propelled her from near-obscurity to a place in the world’s most prominent museums.

— Juno Carmel, Washington Post, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of hypnotic

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“Depressant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/depressant. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of depressant

adjective

Example Sentences

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