as in sedative
something (as a drug) that relieves pain
after her oral surgery, she was given a prescription for a mild painkiller
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Recent Examples of painkiller
The defense argued that Eric Richins was addicted to painkillers.
—
ABC News, 12 May 2026
Jaxon’s father, Albert Juarez, acknowledged having serious health problems himself and a list of prescription painkillers.
—Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 7 May 2026
The most notorious example is Merck’s ADVANTAGE trial for the painkiller Vioxx (rofecoxib), which was first approved in 1999.
—Sukhun Kang, The Conversation, 6 May 2026
The team first weighed the blue heron and then administered a painkiller.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 5 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for painkiller
ABC News, 12 May 2026
Jaxon’s father, Albert Juarez, acknowledged having serious health problems himself and a list of prescription painkillers.
—Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 7 May 2026
The most notorious example is Merck’s ADVANTAGE trial for the painkiller Vioxx (rofecoxib), which was first approved in 1999.
—Sukhun Kang, The Conversation, 6 May 2026
The team first weighed the blue heron and then administered a painkiller.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 5 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for painkiller
Recent Examples of Synonyms for painkiller
Noun
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Chloral hydrate, a sedative, is used in the short-term treatment of insomnia and to relieve anxiety and induce sleep before surgery.—
Liz McNeil,
PEOPLE,
8 May 2026
-
All Florida executions are carried out via lethal injection if a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart, according to the Department of Corrections.—
CBS Miami Team,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Across all participants, 81% reduced their use of oral analgesics, and the suppository was well-tolerated, with most participants willing to use it again.—
Geri Stengel,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
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One approach to the treatment of pain, almost regardless of its cause, has gained both acceptance and notoriety: the use of opioids, or narcotic analgesics.—
Dr. Patricia Richard,
Hartford Courant,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
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
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As the tranquilizer kicked in, the bear climbed higher into the tree before stumbling down a branch, eventually losing its grip completely and falling into the net.—
Gina Kalsi,
PEOPLE,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Painkiller.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/painkiller. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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