pentobarbital
noun
pen·to·bar·bi·tal
ˌpen-tə-ˈbär-bə-ˌtȯl 
: a granular barbiturate C11H18N2O3 used especially in the form of its sodium or calcium salt as a sedative, hypnotic, and antispasmodic
Examples of pentobarbital in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Witnesses could hear prison officials asking for the first dose of pentobarbital, which was different from previous executions.
—
Jeffrey Collins, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2025
Witnesses could hear prison officials asking for the first dose of the powerful sedative pentobarbital, which was different from previous executions.
—Arkansas Online, 14 June 2025
Autopsy reports for two previous executions by lethal injection indicated both prisoners required multiple doses of the sedative pentobarbital to die, and the process took more than 10 minutes.
—Chiara Eisner, NPR, 8 May 2025
Stephen Stanko’s attorneys told him that lethal injection would feel like drowning when a lethal dose of pentobarbital is injected into the inmate’s veins and there’s a rush of fluid into the lungs.
—Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pentobarbital
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Jeffrey Collins, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2025
Witnesses could hear prison officials asking for the first dose of the powerful sedative pentobarbital, which was different from previous executions.
—Arkansas Online, 14 June 2025
Autopsy reports for two previous executions by lethal injection indicated both prisoners required multiple doses of the sedative pentobarbital to die, and the process took more than 10 minutes.
—Chiara Eisner, NPR, 8 May 2025
Stephen Stanko’s attorneys told him that lethal injection would feel like drowning when a lethal dose of pentobarbital is injected into the inmate’s veins and there’s a rush of fluid into the lungs.
—Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pentobarbital
Cite this Entry
“Pentobarbital.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pentobarbital. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
pentobarbital
noun
pen·to·bar·bi·tal
ˌpent-ə-ˈbär-bə-ˌtȯl
: a granular barbiturate used especially in the form of its sodium salt C11H17N2NaO3 or calcium salt (C11H17N2O3)2Ca as a sedative, hypnotic, and antispasmodic
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