as in relaxing
tending to calm the emotions and relieve stress
some people find a glass of wine to be a civilized and sedative addition to an evening meal
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in tranquilizer
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sedative
Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 14 Aug. 2025
It was once used as an anticonvulsant and sedative, but today is primarily used for cleaning, manufacturing and agricultural purposes, according to the National Institutes of Health.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Valentina Bottoni, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2024
Her attorney also listed buspirone (an antianxiety drug), hydroxyzine (an antihistamine that is traditionally used for anxiety or insomina), and Ambien (a sedative-hypnotic).
—Jessica Bartlett, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for sedative
Adjective
Cases of bromide poisoning largely disappeared once the US Food and Drug Administration started prohibiting its use in 1975, but that number is ticking upwards in recent years thanks to its reintroduction into unregulated dietary supplements and sedatives.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 14 Aug. 2025
It was once used as an anticonvulsant and sedative, but today is primarily used for cleaning, manufacturing and agricultural purposes, according to the National Institutes of Health.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Noun
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
Her attorney also listed buspirone (an antianxiety drug), hydroxyzine (an antihistamine that is traditionally used for anxiety or insomina), and Ambien (a sedative-hypnotic).
—Jessica Bartlett, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for sedative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sedative
Adjective
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And just hanging out with a couple of my close friends and my dogs and going somewhere fun and relaxing, or even just going to the movies.—
Carly Thomas,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Sep. 2025
-
The main level sports a spacious, open layout, with several distinct spaces for both entertaining and relaxing.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Jacintha, a horseback rider, was familiar with ketamine as a horse tranquilizer but had never heard of it as a last-stop mental health treatment for treatment-resistant patients like Lucy, who was diagnosed with depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.—
Rachel Hale,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
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The program tests for various drugs, including cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl and other opioids, as well as xylazine, an animal tranquilizer that authorities have warned is increasingly being found mixed in with other drugs.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
They’re placed on or next to the body and struck with a mallet to release a calming vibration and mellifluous tone that eases muscles, sparking an immediately soothing effect on the nervous system and improving synaptic responses in the brain.—
Terry Elward,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Whatever the manifestation—hair-tucking, shorts-pulling, ball-bouncing, bobbing, pocket-checking, or something else entirely—the familiarity of these motions can have a soothing effect, calming the player’s nerves before a big shot.—
Caroline Tien,
SELF,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The draft guidance could shape clinical trial designs, labeling considerations and FDA review expectations for future prescription non-opioid analgesics seeking approval for chronic pain indications, potentially influencing investment and development priorities in the pharmaceutical industry.—
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Sep. 2025
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Its pill, called Tonyma, is a nonopioid analgesic designed to be absorbed into the bloodstream quickly.—
Amy Feldman,
Forbes.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Then complement it with a refreshing fattoush salad or one of our comforting homestyle stews, which reflect the heart of our kitchen.—
Shivani Vora,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Meanwhile, Mary’s mother, Cora, remains a stalwart and comforting presence.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sedative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sedative. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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