opiate 1 of 2

Definition of opiatenext

opiate

2 of 2

noun

as in narcotic
something that soothes, calms, or induces passivity or a sense of security a cultural critic who argues that the Internet has now joined television as an opiate of the American people

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 opiate
Adjective
Some researchers, concerned by reports of antidepressant withdrawal, suggest that the underlying mechanisms are similar to those faced by people suffering from alcohol and opiate withdrawal. David Cox, NBC news, 30 Nov. 2025 Taylor has been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disease, and an opiate use disorder. Jeff Nguyen, CBS News, 17 Nov. 2025
Noun
Two weeks prior, Francisco Manzo had started detoxing himself from opiates and was still experiencing symptoms of acute withdrawal syndrome and had not slept well, the attorney said. Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 4 Feb. 2026 But Clarke is worried about patients losing out on things like steroid injections, which help manage pain without opiates or surgery. Jillian Taylor, StateImpact, 16 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for opiate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opiate
Adjective
  • The haunting and hypnotic story follows stepbrothers Niall (Mitchell Robertson as a teen, Jamie Bell as an adult) and Ruben (Stuart Campell as a teen, Gadd as an adult) over 30 years, as their uneasy yet unshakeable bond becomes an increasingly toxic relationship.
    Barry Levitt, Time, 29 May 2026
  • Bay Area content creator Kane Parsons pushes back on conventional storytelling, and his hypnotic approach results in one of 2026’s most exhilarating debuts, a existential head trip that GoPros us into a human subconscious besieged by misshapen memories that trap and hold you hostage.
    Randy Myers, Mercury News, 28 May 2026
Noun
  • The Eastern Pacific and Caribbean remain major corridors for narcotics trafficking, with cartels frequently using small, fast-moving vessels to transport drugs toward the United States and Central America.
    Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 4 June 2026
  • Doctors have been seeking a non-opioid drug as a less addictive alternative to narcotics.
    Justin Zacks, CNBC, 4 June 2026
Noun
  • There are sedatives such as xylazine, street-named Tranq, an animal tranquilizer that can cause fleshrotting skin lesions and is frequently mixed with fentanyl.
    The Week US, TheWeek, 18 May 2026
  • Naloxone, the ingredient in Narcan, is an antidote for opioid overdoses, but because xylazine is not an opioid, the emergency medicine only stops the effects of fentanyl, not the tranquilizer, making those who overdose more likely to have lethal repercussions.
    Anna Giaritelli, The Washington Examiner, 17 May 2026
Noun
  • Perry, who had long struggled with addiction and wrote about it in a memoir, illegally obtained the powerful dissociative anesthetic from at least two sources.
    City News Service, Daily News, 27 May 2026
  • The actor had been taking the surgical anesthetic ketamine legally for depression, an increasingly common off-label use.
    Andrew Dalton, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Opiate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opiate. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.

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