1
as in relaxing
tending to calm the emotions and relieve stress
some therapists believe that certain scents can have a narcotic effect on people
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hypnotic
tending to cause sleep
the lecturer droned on in a narcotic monotone that eventually had the entire class struggling to stay awake
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in opiate
something that soothes, calms, or induces passivity or a sense of security
an irradicable sense of self-righteousness seems to be the narcotic that inures these religious fanatics from any realization of the harm they have done
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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 narcotic
Julianna Duennes Russ, Austin American Statesman, 24 Feb. 2026
Sorrentino put 125 Roxicets — a narcotic made of oxycodone and acetaminophen — into an Altoids tin and brought four tins.
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
ABC News, 6 Apr. 2026
Wrench attacks, Redbord said, are in some ways a natural evolution of crimes like robbery and narcotics trafficking.
—Megan Cassidy, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for narcotic
Adjective
The public is encouraged to report narcotic activity by calling 512-393-7896.
—Julianna Duennes Russ, Austin American Statesman, 24 Feb. 2026
Sorrentino put 125 Roxicets — a narcotic made of oxycodone and acetaminophen — into an Altoids tin and brought four tins.
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
Noun
Her reasoning centered on whether prosecutors had proven that the killing was narcotics-related, a requirement of the federal murder charge in this case.
—ABC News, 6 Apr. 2026
Wrench attacks, Redbord said, are in some ways a natural evolution of crimes like robbery and narcotics trafficking.
—Megan Cassidy, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for narcotic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for narcotic
Adjective
-
This is supposed to be a relaxing hobby!—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
8 Apr. 2026
-
This left zero time for serendipity — or just plain relaxing.—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The gunmetal details add an edgy contrast without dimming the base's hypnotic shine.—
Kara Jillian Brown,
InStyle,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Each piece of wood, in varying shades and shapes, was plopped down one by one to bring the piece to life, resulting in an almost hypnotic design that shows off true marquetry mastery.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Are laughter and lightness merely opiates, or tools of the revolution, or both, or neither?—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Offering 99 percent accuracy for five different drugs, this drug test has exceptional sensitivity for detecting opiates in urine.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In Ohio, the recent trend among people who use fentanyl is to find pills spiked with an animal tranquilizer that causes severe addiction, said Beckman, of the Hamilton County Quick Response Team.—
Kaitlin Coward,
Boston Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
-
According to court records, a powerful animal tranquilizer known as BAM — a combination of butorphanol, azaperone and medetomidine — was found in her bone marrow.—
Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Spray dry toilet paper with cleansing, soothing and refreshing Pristine to create an instant wet wipe that is actually flushable and safe for your sewer and septic systems.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
There’s something genuinely soothing about checking out for a while—letting a place wash over you, no agenda, no expectations.—
John Vorwald,
Robb Report,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Meanwhile, one of Iran’s largest producers of anti-cancer drugs and anesthetics was hit on Tuesday, state media reported.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Ketamine, which has long been used as an anesthetic, has drawn growing academic interest in recent years.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The favorite of the bunch was the Cinnamon Caramel offering, which tasted comforting and cozy like fall.—
Joseph Erbentraut,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Where their debut roars, jabbing with hooks, Two Wheels Move the Soul instead inverts the noise until the sound becomes pillowy and comforting.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Prescription medicines used to treat anxiety, including benzodiazepines, are also flagged due to their sedative effects.—
Amanda Greenwood,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Depending on the dosage, consumption can cause stimulant effects in low dosages and sedative effects in high doses, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration in 2020.—
Josh Kelly,
Oklahoman,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Narcotic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/narcotic. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
