as in hypnotic
tending to cause sleep
morphine is an opiate drug
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Recent Examples of opiate
Sam Blum, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
Apparently, the chair was missing its appendix, a lever manufactured in Hungary roughly the same shape and size as sticks of an opiate called Thebaine.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2025
Jillian Taylor, StateImpact, 16 Jan. 2026
At the dawn of the 20th century, American medicines were often laced with alcohol, opiates, or narcotics.
—Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for opiate
Adjective
Skaggs’ attorneys utilized last week’s testimony to establish how a team doctor’s opiate prescriptions exacerbated Eric Kay’s addiction, and how, according to multiple former employees, that addiction became evident throughout the organization.
—Sam Blum, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
Apparently, the chair was missing its appendix, a lever manufactured in Hungary roughly the same shape and size as sticks of an opiate called Thebaine.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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
At the dawn of the 20th century, American medicines were often laced with alcohol, opiates, or narcotics.
—Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for opiate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opiate
Adjective
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Luhrmann has also unearthed some hypnotic clips of Elvis performing live in Hawaii in 1957, wearing a shimmering gold jacket, his neck ringed with a lei.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
20 Feb. 2026
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But his hypnotic voice poured through the phone.—
Gail Sheehy,
Vanity Fair,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Evanchec said authorities executed 14 warrants to seize narcotics, guns and other evidence.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
25 Feb. 2026
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Lab results confirmed the narcotics totaled 125 grams of cocaine and nearly 300 grams of cannabis, according to the complaint.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In many areas, the sheer toxicity of street drugs and the presence of xylazine, an animal tranquilizer associated with severe skin wounds that can require amputation, has led many users to avoid syringes at all costs.—
Lev Facher,
STAT,
12 Feb. 2026
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After that, officials decided to use tranquilizer darts to take down the animals believed to be the three adults in the pack before euthanizing them.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Slow-walked the trial use of the fast-acting anesthetic ketamine by paramedics, who were able to administer only four doses in six months under his stewardship.—
Tony Saavedra,
Oc Register,
24 Jan. 2026
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In practice, this gives it mild pain-relieving effects, rather than acting as a strong anesthetic.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Opiate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opiate. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
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