1
as in sedatives
something (as a drug) that relieves pain
the dentist waited until the anesthetic took effect
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2
as in narcotics
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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Recent Examples of anesthetics
Meanwhile, one of Iran’s largest producers of anti-cancer drugs and anesthetics was hit on Tuesday, state media reported.
—
Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2026
Modern medicine — with its new anesthetics and vaccines and innovative equipment — emerged around this time.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
Toward the beginning, students in the pilot learn about local anesthetics, handling instruments and positioning patients.
—Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Nov. 2025
He was given anesthetics to ease his pain.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 25 Nov. 2025
There is not much to say about that misadventure, other than that some people still haven’t gotten the memo about dissociative anesthetics and bathtubs.
—Sam Lipsyte, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2025
These vampiric bugs use needle-like mouthpieces to locate a capillary and inject saliva containing anesthetics and anticoagulants into its host allowing blood to flow freely into their stomachs for several minutes.
—Katie Nixon, Nashville Tennessean, 23 Sep. 2025
Other factors include the level of inflammation and how quickly anesthetics work.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 13 Sep. 2025
Low doses of most anesthetics, says Franks, work by affecting our brain cells’ receptors.
—Rj MacKenzie, Popular Science, 3 Sep. 2025
Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2026
Modern medicine — with its new anesthetics and vaccines and innovative equipment — emerged around this time.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
Toward the beginning, students in the pilot learn about local anesthetics, handling instruments and positioning patients.
—Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Nov. 2025
He was given anesthetics to ease his pain.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 25 Nov. 2025
There is not much to say about that misadventure, other than that some people still haven’t gotten the memo about dissociative anesthetics and bathtubs.
—Sam Lipsyte, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2025
These vampiric bugs use needle-like mouthpieces to locate a capillary and inject saliva containing anesthetics and anticoagulants into its host allowing blood to flow freely into their stomachs for several minutes.
—Katie Nixon, Nashville Tennessean, 23 Sep. 2025
Other factors include the level of inflammation and how quickly anesthetics work.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 13 Sep. 2025
Low doses of most anesthetics, says Franks, work by affecting our brain cells’ receptors.
—Rj MacKenzie, Popular Science, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anesthetics
Noun
-
The warrant was issued as part of an investigation into narcotics violations, police said.—
Mike Darnay,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
In May 2023 in New Haven federal court, he was sentenced to 60 months in prison for narcotics trafficking, federal officials said.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Here's what to know about the medication, a powerful painkiller that belongs to a group of medicines called opioid analgesics.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Turmeric may have effects similar to those of analgesics, medicines used to relieve pain.—
Lana Barhum,
Verywell Health,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Are laughter and lightness merely opiates, or tools of the revolution, or both, or neither?—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Offering 99 percent accuracy for five different drugs, this drug test has exceptional sensitivity for detecting opiates in urine.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Anesthetics.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anesthetics. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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