: a sedative agent or drug
Examples of sedative in a Sentence
Adjective
some people find a glass of wine to be a civilized and sedative addition to an evening meal
Noun
The patient was given a powerful sedative.
Recent Examples on the Web
Valentina Bottoni, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2024
The population is impatient and the sedative effect of the impeachment process will soon wear off, which could mean new protests and instability if there are no significant changes in the short term.
—Moisés Costa, Foreign Affairs, 16 May 2016
Alex Sundby, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2025
Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, is used as a sedative in medicine.
—Elizabeth Chuck, NBC News, 8 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sedative
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Adjective
In any case, chamomile flowers—which look like adorable, tiny daisies—contain flavonoids, terpenoids, and coumarins which certainly have mildly sedative, anti-inflammatory, and antispasmodic properties.
—Valentina Bottoni, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2024
The population is impatient and the sedative effect of the impeachment process will soon wear off, which could mean new protests and instability if there are no significant changes in the short term.
—Moisés Costa, Foreign Affairs, 16 May 2016
Noun
Super Bowl reporter found dead had sedative in his system, police say
Wife of powerful cartel boss wanted by U.S. is released from prison
In:
New Mexico
Death
Gene Hackman
Alex Sundby
Alex Sundby is a senior editor at CBSNews.com.
—Alex Sundby, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2025
Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, is used as a sedative in medicine.
—Elizabeth Chuck, NBC News, 8 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sedative
Cite this Entry
“Sedative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sedative. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sedative
1 of 2 adjective
sed·a·tive
ˈsed-ət-iv 
: tending to calm or to ease tension
sedative
2 of 2 noun
: a sedative medicine
Medical Definition
sedative
1 of 2 adjective
sed·a·tive
ˈsed-ət-iv
: tending to calm, moderate, or tranquilize nervousness or excitement
sedative effects of anesthetics and analgesics—Linda C. Haynes et al.
Linda C. Haynes et al.sedative
2 of 2 noun
: a sedative agent or drug
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