as in relaxing
tending to calm the emotions and relieve stress
some people find a glass of wine to be a civilized and sedative addition to an evening meal
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in tranquilizer
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sedative
Jessica Bartlett, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Feb. 2023
Kratom alkaloids stimulate the opioid receptors in the brain, producing effects that range from sedative-like and calming to energizing and euphoric.
—Dallas News, 30 Jan. 2023
Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2025
Oklahoma uses a lethal injection cocktail that contains three drugs, beginning with a sedative and following with a second drug to paralyze the inmate and a third to stop the heart.
—CBS News, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sedative
Adjective
Her attorney also listed buspirone (an antianxiety drug), hydroxyzine (an antihistamine that is traditionally used for anxiety or insomina), and Ambien (a sedative-hypnotic).
—Jessica Bartlett, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Feb. 2023
Kratom alkaloids stimulate the opioid receptors in the brain, producing effects that range from sedative-like and calming to energizing and euphoric.
—Dallas News, 30 Jan. 2023
Noun
Other medications — including antidepressants, sedatives, muscle relaxants, diabetes medications and calcium channel blockers — can also influence bladder function or fluid balance, inadvertently worsening nocturia.
—Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2025
Oklahoma uses a lethal injection cocktail that contains three drugs, beginning with a sedative and following with a second drug to paralyze the inmate and a third to stop the heart.
—CBS News, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sedative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sedative
Noun
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Sometimes, short-acting tranquilizers can help, but some of these same medicines can also cause sleepwalking.18 When sleepwalking is related to an underlying disorder or medication, treating that condition or switching medications may help.—
Ann Pietrangelo,
Verywell Health,
28 Mar. 2025
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The Who played there in 1973, although during the concert, drummer Keith Moon passed out after reportedly taking horse tranquilizers.—
Daniel Brown,
The Athletic,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Their look and feeling are soothing and sublime, thanks to the deft hand of noted Spanish interior designer Pilar García-Nieto.—
Ann Abel,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
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Some models serve purely to create a soothing ambiance, acting as night lights for children, whereas others can be educational tools with accurate renderings of the night sky indoors.—
Tantse Walter,
Space.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Peppermint Oil Peppermint oil is a topical analgesic that may help alleviate pain from tense jaw muscles associated with TMJ dysfunction.—
Christopher Bergland,
Verywell Health,
21 Mar. 2025
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Participants who’d been issued at least two acetaminophen prescriptions within six months – and not in combination with other analgesics like codeine – were defined as exposed to acetaminophen.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
15 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Sedative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sedative. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
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