sedative 1 of 2

adjective

ˈse-də-tiv How to pronounce sedative (audio)
Definition of sedativenext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sedative

2 of 2

noun

as in tranquilizer

Related 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 sedative
Adjective
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, diphenhydramine has a sedative effect which teens resist to reach a hallucinogenic or euphoric state. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 10 June 2026 Ballroom staff will be equipped with cuff links that release sedative gas, bow ties that contain a garrote, white gloves with Tasers woven into the fingertips, champagne flutes that dribble, and fake vomit. — Dahlia Gallin Ramirez, New Yorker, 9 June 2026
Noun
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, diphenhydramine has a sedative effect which teens resist to reach a hallucinogenic or euphoric state. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 10 June 2026 The woman did a Google image search and concluded that the drug was stronger — Ambien, a prescription sedative, reads the complaint. — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 9 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for sedative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sedative
  1. relaxing
  2. tranquilizer
  3. soothing
  4. analgesic
  5. comforting
  6. hypnotic
Adjective
  • The couple, along with their daughter Harper and their son Romeo, have been enjoying a relaxing trip around Europe this summer.
    — Meg Walters, InStyle, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Starfish Manor Starfish Manor has everything grown-ups need for a relaxing, kid-free seaside stay, from Pacific-view rooms to beach access for romantic strolls on the sand.
    — Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of relaxing
Noun
  • Other monkeys, including some of the larger and more dominant macaques, had to be subdued with tranquilizer darts before they could be captured.
    — Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026
  • The worrisome drug withdrawal popping up in jails A powerful tranquilizer has started to accompany fentanyl in the country’s illicit opioid supply, and jails are struggling to handle the drug’s excruciating, complicated withdrawal symptoms.
    — O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 26 June 2026
Definition of tranquilizer
Adjective
  • In addition to prepping the skin, the brand says the wand’s therapeutic warmth and soothing vibrations reduce the appearance of dark circles and puffiness, all while boosting the skin’s natural radiance.
    — Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Meanwhile, the in-cabin activities were equally soothing, with meditative coloring books, cards, board games, a yoga mat, and on-the-nose books about getting lost in nature’s beauty.
    — Madeline Bilis, Travel + Leisure, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of soothing
Noun
  • The physician performs a detailed history and physical examination, reviews prior films, discusses conservative management, and orders physical therapy plus non-opioid analgesics.
    — Richard Menger MD MPA, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • But the 7-OH industry has organized against the potential prohibition, claiming 7-OH is kratom, despite only appearing in trace amounts within the leaves of the kratom plant, and that its benefits as an analgesic outweigh its potential harms.
    — Mattha Busby, Wired News, 15 June 2026
Definition of analgesic
Adjective
  • Video compilations of Trachtenberg and Panettiere’s characters, Casey Carlyle and Gen Harwood, respectively, started circulating on social media on Monday, with fans noting the film’s comforting feel of nostalgia amid the tragic deaths of its stars.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The result is a perfect contrast of jammy fruit and light, flaky biscuits, delivering a balance of fresh summer flavor and comforting, homemade goodness.
    — Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of comforting
Adjective
  • Often unfurling over the course of entire afternoons and evenings, González’s knotty, hypnotic works typically test the expectations (and patience) of viewers, who are left to figure out what’s improvised and what isn’t.
    — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Caillois employs this term throughout his 1960 book Méduse et cie (The Mask of Medusa), which traces this hypnotic phenomenon through human as well as natural history.
    — Jan Tumlir, Artforum, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of hypnotic

Browse Nearby Words

sedating
sedative
sedatives
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Cite this Entry

“Sedative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sedative. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on sedative

Nglish: Translation of sedative for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sedative

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