opiates

plural of opiate
as in narcotics
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

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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 opiates These chemicals can be even more potent than other opiates and produce comparable hallucinogenic effects, increasing the desirability of the cut fentanyl on the market. David Ferrara, The Enquirer, 4 Sep. 2025 Boston Magazine reported that during her training she was ultimately dismissed for administering opiates without a doctor’s order and leaving her shift early. Christina Coulter, People.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opiates
narcotics
Noun
  • Leavitt added that the intelligence community had confirmed the vessels’ ties to terrorist organizations and their role in the northward flow of narcotics.
    Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2025
  • The junta has also revived Myanmar’s role as a center of international narcotics trafficking and production.
    Dan Swift, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Opiates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opiates. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

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