narcotic 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of narcoticnext
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

narcotic

2 of 2

noun

när-ˈkä-tik How to pronounce narcotic (audio)
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
Adjective
Although the trial may have gone in Scott's favor, Gill was highly critical of the Middletown narcotic detective's actions and questioned his motivation. — Juliet Pennington, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026 Candidates for the mysterious narcotic plant eaten by Odysseus’s men in the land of the Lotus-Eaters include the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) and the jujube (Ziziphus jujuba). — Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Apr. 2026
Noun
The whistleblowers claim an emergency room nurse stole narcotics intended for patients, injected them in an emergency room bathroom, then treated patients while impaired, which in turn, possibly contributed to two patient deaths. — Shelley Bortz, CBS News, 30 June 2026 Youssef alleged the property later became associated with gang activity, narcotics activity, prostitution and violence. — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for narcotic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for narcotic
  1. relaxing
  2. hypnotic
  3. opiate
  4. soothing
  5. tranquilizer
  6. comforting
  7. anesthetic
  8. sedative
Adjective
  • Audiences want a quiet, efficient, relaxing, fun, visually engaging, communal experience unavailable at home.
    — Joseph M. Singer, HollywoodReporter, 29 June 2026
  • Patio lights Having warm and inviting outdoor lighting can help set a relaxing evening mood.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 29 June 2026
Definition of relaxing
Adjective
  • Plus, all of the songs put you in a nearly hypnotic trance that forces you to count in your head or tap your foot along to the beats.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 2 July 2026
  • There’s something hypnotic and ritualistic in it, something that can become almost shamanic, almost therapeutic — like a sound bath.
    — Alma Rota, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2026
Definition of hypnotic
Noun
  • So far this year, alcohol has become EPICC’s leading referral category, followed by methamphetamine and opiates.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026
  • 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.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 May 2026
Definition of opiate
Adjective
  • The space has a dramatic 28-foot Palladian rotunda, a saltwater soaking tub, a sauna, a steam room and a wall of water that creates a soothing, flowing sound.
    — Katie Sweeney, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • That leaves us with smart solutions and savvy helpers that are specifically designed to minimize the heat, remove stuffiness, and provide soothing, cooling relief.
    — Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 29 June 2026
Definition of soothing
Noun
  • Other monkeys, including some of the larger and more dominant macaques, had to be subdued with tranquilizer darts before they could be captured.
    — Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026
  • 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.
    — O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 26 June 2026
Definition of tranquilizer
Adjective
  • Sora is all about cooking to preserve memories, especially those of his late mother, believing food should be both comforting and refined.
    — Carinne Geil Botta, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • One of the daily specials, a creamy risotto accented with a bold red pepper puree and blackened shrimp, caught my eye and satisfied my cravings for something comforting.
    — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 30 June 2026
Definition of comforting
Noun
  • Hospitals across the island face shortages of supplies including syringes, gauze, vaccines and anesthetics.
    — Andrea Rodríguez, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
  • But the solution caused Peñaloza Cabrera to suffer lidocaine toxicity, a condition that occurs when excessive amounts of the anesthetic enter the bloodstream, causing seizures, irregular heart rhythm, respiratory failure and — as in the victim’s case — cardiac arrest.
    — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 18 June 2026
Definition of anesthetic
Adjective
  • Hair follicle testing confirmed exposure to sedative-hypnotic drugs, but surveillance footage was destroyed after the hotel’s 30-day retention period elapsed before her preservation request could be honored.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 June 2026
  • According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, diphenhydramine has a sedative effect which teens resist to reach a hallucinogenic or euphoric state.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 10 June 2026
Definition of sedative

Browse Nearby Words

narcosis
narcotic
narcotics
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Narcotic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/narcotic. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on narcotic

Nglish: Translation of narcotic for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about narcotic

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All