as in soothing
tending to cause sleep
her eyes soon grew heavy from the hypnotic rhythm of the train's wheels
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in sedative
Related Words
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 hypnotic
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 May 2023
Unlike telepaths, who can read minds, hypnotics have the power to control them, reshaping a person’s reality and redirecting their impulses.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 May 2023
Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 3 June 2025
The aquarium has been a pioneer from the start, unveiling the world’s first living kelp forest exhibit and debuting large-scale displays of jellyfish—hypnotic creatures that pulse rhythmically through the glowing blue waters.
—Brittany Anas, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for hypnotic
Adjective
Clues point Rourke toward Diana Cruz (Alice Braga), a storefront psychic who fills the detective in on the phenomenon of hypnotics.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 May 2023
Unlike telepaths, who can read minds, hypnotics have the power to control them, reshaping a person’s reality and redirecting their impulses.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 May 2023
Noun
Hassan’s early scenes have a quiet, hypnotic quality, an effect intensified by the pendulous motion of the actors’ skating back and forth.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 3 June 2025
The aquarium has been a pioneer from the start, unveiling the world’s first living kelp forest exhibit and debuting large-scale displays of jellyfish—hypnotic creatures that pulse rhythmically through the glowing blue waters.
—Brittany Anas, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for hypnotic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hypnotic
Adjective
-
This nursery is soothing and peaceful, yet offers plenty of room to create, imagine, and explore through play.—
Nina Derwin,
Architectural Digest,
18 July 2025
-
Lavender’s movement in the breeze and soothing scent add more sensory layers to the space.—
Lauren Dunec Hoang,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 July 2025
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
-
Brunson’s video captured the kangaroo moving slowly on a hill by the highway moments after it was shot with a tranquilizer.—
Karina Tsui,
CNN Money,
30 Apr. 2025
-
The sheriff said the kangaroo was shot twice with the tranquilizer before responders could get their hands on it.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Robotic surgery reduces recovery time to four weeks with a lifting limit of 20 pounds and only three narcotic pills.—
Shelley Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
30 July 2025
-
Hazel was charged with engaging police in pursuit, interfering with police, reckless driving, possession of cocaine with intent to sell, possession of a narcotic substance with intent to sell, first-degree reckless endangerment, evading responsibility and failure to insure a motor vehicle.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
The YouTube search results have warped into an apparent AI breeding ground, crammed with hourlong mixes full of soporific dreck.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
2 July 2025
-
Prince Valiant Much of Spaceballs' plot kicks off when Daphne Zuniga's Princess Vespa runs away from her soporific betrothed, Prince Valium (the mighty Jim J. Bullock), at the altar.—
Jordan Hoffman,
EW.com,
14 June 2025
Adjective
-
According to a report, the man died after not receiving the proper care for his ALS and opiate withdrawal.—
Emilia Otte,
Hartford Courant,
20 June 2025
-
Toward the end of Thursday’s questioning, the defense asked Ventura about the 2016 InterContinental hotel freak-off, where the video of Combs beating Ventura in a hallway came from, and tried to indicate Combs was going through opiate withdrawal at the time, The New York Times reported.—
Conor Murray,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2025
Adjective
-
Yet the car will likely obey speed limits, never get drowsy or drunk and never rubberneck or give in to road rage.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
22 June 2025
-
Preparation through adequate rest is an important part of avoiding drowsy driving, which could be fatal according to NHTSA.—
Charles Singh,
Nashville Tennessean,
9 May 2025
Adjective
-
Alan Fox’s script is rife with clunkers (the somnolent Ilfenesh Hadera, as David’s wife Pam, explains with haunting detail which items of decor on the dining table can be moved where by the police), and the intrusive score is the equivalent of garish wall-to-wall carpeting.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
20 May 2025
-
While there are a half-dozen or so worthy books on the list, most of them are somnolent doctoral theses that probably should not have been acquired in the first place.—
George Liebmann,
Baltimore Sun,
21 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hypnotic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hypnotic. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share