anesthetic 1 of 2

1
as in sedative
something (as a drug) that relieves pain the dentist waited until the anesthetic took effect

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2
as in narcotic
something that soothes, calms, or induces passivity or a sense of security he used total immersion in his job as an anesthetic for the empty shell that his marriage had become

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anesthetic

2 of 2

adjective

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 anesthetic
Noun
On April 3, he was called to administer anesthetic shots for horses at a property located about 60 miles west of Las Vegas, Shawna Gonzalez, the property owner, told KLAS' 8 News Now. Becca Longmire, People.com, 15 May 2025 Four friends want to speed up the process and do it in a week using an anesthetic gas. Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 13 May 2025
Adjective
When morphine and anesthetics ran out, the French doctors operated on conscious patients. Amy Sohn, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2025 The anesthetic, long used for surgery and in emergency room settings, has more recently been used as an experimental treatment for some mental illnesses. Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 17 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for anesthetic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anesthetic
Noun
  • Fentanyl combined with a sedative are believed to have caused last week's mass overdose in Baltimore's Penn North neighborhood, federal scientists said.
    Todd Karpovich, Baltimore Sun, 17 July 2025
  • Clonazepam is a sedative used to treat seizures, panic disorder and anxiety.
    arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 11 July 2025
Noun
  • Delwin Hodge, 27, was arrested Thursday after an investigation by the Sheriff’s Special Investigations Group into Hodge’s sales of narcotics, a sheriff’s office news release said.
    Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2025
  • The driver was identified as Demarcus McCormick, 35, who was found to be intoxicated, had an outstanding felony warrant and was in possession of narcotics, according to court records.
    Maritza Dominguez, AZCentral.com, 31 July 2025
Adjective
  • For extra strength, search for analgesic throat lozenges, which contain additional pain-fighting ingredients like menthol or benzocaine.
    Jenna Anderson, Health, 26 June 2025
  • One of the primary appeals of medical marijuana is its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.
    Tribune Content Agency, Mercury News, 20 May 2025
Noun
  • She was charged for intentionally distributing a drug called Tranq — a mix of Fentanyl and the animal tranquilizer Xylazine.
    Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 7 July 2025
  • The drug, which is commonly used as a tranquilizer for large animals in veterinary medicine, causes extreme sedation, slow breathing and skin ulcers when ingested by humans.
    Molly Gibbs, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2025
Noun
  • Changes in the level or quality of opiates, fentanyl or other synthetic drugs can dramatically raise risks.
    Sophia Tiedge, jsonline.com, 17 July 2025
  • Bumgarner spoke about his priorities in office, including fighting violent crime, stopping the flow of opiates and protecting kids and aging Kentuckians.
    Lucas Aulbach, The Courier-Journal, 8 July 2025
Adjective
  • This week, Tyler, the Creator surprise releases a dance-forward LP, Drake teams up with Central Cee for a hypnotic club banger, and Lola Young delivers some sunny escapism.
    Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone, 25 July 2025
  • Osbourne sang in the high howl of a man being burned at the stake, and his melodies unfolded in a slow, hypnotic smolder.
    Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 23 July 2025
Adjective
  • The music can sound surpassingly anodyne, built for commercials and idle, low-wattage daydreaming.
    Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 17 July 2025
  • Long before generative AI began its takeover of the internet, streaming music had turned anodyne—a vehicle for vibes, not for active listening.
    Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 4 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Anesthetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anesthetic. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.

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