Synonyms of opiate

opiate 1 of 2

adjective

as in hypnotic

tending to cause sleep

morphine is an opiate drug

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hypnotic
• narcotic
• soothing
• soporific
• drowsy
• sleepy
• somnolent
• depressant
• slumberous
• hypnotizing
• comforting
• sedative
• relaxant
• quieting
• somniferous
• dulling
• analgesic
• tranquilizing
• anesthetic
• relaxing
• calming
• settling
• restful
• deadening
• numbing
• stupefying
• benumbing
• anesthetizing
• lulling
• pacifying
• mesmerizing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• stimulant
• stimulating
• waking
• rousing
• arousing
• energizing
• bracing
• refreshing
• reviving
• stimulatory
• stimulative
• restorative
• awakening
• invigorating
• wakening

opiate

2 of 2

noun

ˈō-pē-ət 

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

• narcotic
• tranquilizer
• anesthetic
• sedative
• anodyne
• hypnotic
• security blanket
• palliative
• pacifier
• soporific

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of opiate

Adjective

Later, the woman’s daughter was born with opiate dependence and had to stay in the hospital for several months after birth. — Adeline Goss, New Yorker, 11 June 2026

From the late nineteenth century into the twentieth century, most opiate addicts were middle- and upper-middle-class (white) women. — Literary Hub, 22 May 2026

Noun

So far this year, alcohol has become EPICC’s leading referral category, followed by methamphetamine and opiates. — 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, 22 May 2026