opiate 1 of 2

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
According to a report, the man died after not receiving the proper care for his ALS and opiate withdrawal. Emilia Otte, Hartford Courant, 20 June 2025 Toward the end of Thursday’s questioning, the defense asked Ventura about the 2016 InterContinental hotel freak-off, where the video of Combs beating Ventura in a hallway came from, and tried to indicate Combs was going through opiate withdrawal at the time, The New York Times reported. Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
Noun
Bumgarner spoke about his priorities in office, including fighting violent crime, stopping the flow of opiates and protecting kids and aging Kentuckians. Lucas Aulbach, The Courier-Journal, 8 July 2025 Some of these common drugs include antacids, antidepressants, blood pressure medication, iron supplements, and opiates (narcotics). Polyps or tumors: A blockage in the intestine caused by a large growth (a polyp) or a tumor prevents stool from passing. Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 4 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for opiate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opiate
Adjective
  • His presence is fresh, empathetic, often hypnotic, and never overacted.
    Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2025
  • One of the most basic versions is a progressive relaxation technique, a countdown from 10 to 1 where Perri uses what are known as hypnotic language patterns.
    Rustin Dodd, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • While Washington frames the buildup as a counter-narcotics effort, its scale and coordination have drawn comparisons to prewar mobilizations, highlighting the growing intensity of the standoff.
    Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Drug runners often transport narcotics through a large stretch of water on the Pacific Ocean and drop them off in Mexico, where they’re subsequently smuggled into the US or Europe.
    David Culver, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • After ambushing Fuller at her mansion, Teddy and his accomplice/cousin Don (Aidan Delbis) knock her unconscious with a tranquilizer and load her into the backseat of her own car.
    Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2025
  • After that incident, the department changed its approach and shot the remaining three adults with tranquilizer darts rather than a firearm, then euthanized them on the ground with injections of the type a sick animal might receive when being put to sleep by a veterinarian.
    Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Although the brain itself has no pain receptors, Bacon was given local anesthetic to numb her scalp and skull, as doctors made holes half the size of a small coin in her skull and implanted the stimulating electrodes inside.
    Elmira Aliieva, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2025
  • There is not much to say about that misadventure, other than that some people still haven’t gotten the memo about dissociative anesthetics and bathtubs.
    Sam Lipsyte, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Opiate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opiate. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.

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