as in harmless
not causing or being capable of causing injury or hurt
the otherwise anodyne comments sounded quite inflammatory when taken out of context
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in sedative
something (as a drug) that relieves pain
the dentist prescribed an anodyne after the root canal
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in narcotic
something that soothes, calms, or induces passivity or a sense of security
as an anodyne for the stress and superficiality of the modern world, there's nothing better than reading a literary classic of substance and insight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of anodyne
Travis Diehl, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025
The lobby, with its collection of elevators, scowling security guards and small glass turnstiles, is cold and anodyne.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2025
Adam Rogers, Wired, 11 Feb. 2020
To yield to the soft tyranny of transgender pronouns is to pretend that gender dysphoria is an anodyne lifestyle on which societal legitimacy should be conferred, not a psychological malady requiring compassion and psychological treatment.
—Josh Hammer, National Review, 27 Jan. 2020
See All Example Sentences for anodyne
Adjective
Indeed, a persistent criticism is that their artistic approach evades urgent issues in favor of abstract or anodyne statements.
—Travis Diehl, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025
The lobby, with its collection of elevators, scowling security guards and small glass turnstiles, is cold and anodyne.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2025
Noun
The result of all that rulemaking and political sensitivity is the anodyne Covid-19.
—Adam Rogers, Wired, 11 Feb. 2020
To yield to the soft tyranny of transgender pronouns is to pretend that gender dysphoria is an anodyne lifestyle on which societal legitimacy should be conferred, not a psychological malady requiring compassion and psychological treatment.
—Josh Hammer, National Review, 27 Jan. 2020
See All Example Sentences for anodyne
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anodyne
Adjective
-
While castor beans themselves are harmless, ricin, when extracted correctly in a complex process, is lethal and has been the stuff of Cold War assassinations and the plot of a popular episode on the Breaking Bad television series.—
Michael Loria,
USA TODAY,
8 Mar. 2025
-
While these videos are mostly filter-free and appear to be harmless fun, Hines explained how beauty filters have altered the way the brain recognizes and prefers certain facial features.—
Russel Honoré,
Newsweek,
6 Mar. 2025
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
Noun
-
The bill permits the Treasury Department secretary to take action if financial institutions outside the United States are suspected of facilitating money laundering for narcotics purposes.—
Ross O'Keefe,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
25 Feb. 2025
-
Patron Sanchez, who’s charged with continuing criminal enterprise, narcotics trafficking and firearms charges, faces the possibility of mandatory life in prison if he’s convicted.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
According to Healthline, benign easy bruising, called actinic purpura or senile purpura is common.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
Newsweek,
26 Feb. 2025
-
Yes, Republicans have been getting an earful from their districts, but those skirmishes are going to look perfectly benign compared to what a vindictive Trump could unleash for lawmakers who show too much pluck.—
Philip Elliott,
TIME,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Participants who’d been issued at least two acetaminophen prescriptions within six months – and not in combination with other analgesics like codeine – were defined as exposed to acetaminophen.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
15 Dec. 2024
-
Importantly, the medication is not an opioid, which means that medical professionals now have an alternative to treating acute pain that doesn’t require using a potentially addictive analgesic.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
30 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Tolerance is a side effect of many medications, such as opiates and benzodiazepines, which are often used to help treat pain and anxiety.—
Femi Aremu,
Verywell Health,
3 Feb. 2025
-
A day later, a social worker told the new mother: The baby’s meconium — or first bowel movement — had tested positive for opiates.—
Shoshana Walter,
USA TODAY,
11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
The challenge of keeping hospitals safe Hospitals are particularly challenging to secure because of the way they are set up, Clay said.—
Chris Boyette,
CNN,
2 Mar. 2025
-
The lander continued to fire its small reaction control system thrusters to fine-tune its descent, heading for a relatively flat, boulder-free stretch of lunar ground that Blue Ghost autonomously selected as a safe landing spot.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
In a race against time, Melissa must figure out if an innocent man is going to die for a crime her father really committed.—
Abigail Lee,
Variety,
5 Mar. 2025
-
In a race against the clock, Melissa must find out if an innocent man is going to be put to death for a crime her father committed.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
4 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Anodyne.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anodyne. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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