ketamine
noun
ke·ta·mine
ˈke-tə-ˌmēn 
ˈkē-
ˈkē-
: a general anesthetic that is administered intravenously and intramuscularly in the form of its hydrochloride C13H16ClNO·HCl and that is used illicitly usually by being inhaled in powdered form especially for the dreamlike or hallucinogenic state it produces
Note: Ketamine is also called Special K when used as a recreational drug
Examples of ketamine in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
At the time of the arrest, police seized more than $200,000 worth of drugs, including Ecstasy, LSD, and what police suspected was ketamine.
—
Cara Lynn Shultz,
PEOPLE,
29 June 2026
State officials have since told paramedics to stop using excited delirium as a basis for administering ketamine.
—
Mead Gruver,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
McClain, a 23-year-old Black man, died after Aurora police put him in a neck hold and a paramedic injected him with an overdose of sedative ketamine.
—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
4 June 2026
The North Hollywood drug dealer pleaded guilty last year to selling the ketamine dose that killed Perry and was sentenced to 15 years in prison in April.
—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for ketamine
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Cara Lynn Shultz,
PEOPLE,
29 June 2026
State officials have since told paramedics to stop using excited delirium as a basis for administering ketamine.
—
Mead Gruver,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
McClain, a 23-year-old Black man, died after Aurora police put him in a neck hold and a paramedic injected him with an overdose of sedative ketamine.
—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
4 June 2026
The North Hollywood drug dealer pleaded guilty last year to selling the ketamine dose that killed Perry and was sentenced to 15 years in prison in April.
—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for ketamine
Cite this Entry
“Ketamine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ketamine. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
ketamine
noun
ke·ta·mine
ˈkēt-ə-ˌmēn
: a general anesthetic that is administered intravenously or intramuscularly in the form of its hydrochloride C13H16ClNO·HCl and that is used illicitly usually by being inhaled in powdered form especially for the dreamlike or hallucinogenic state it produces see special k
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