sedative

1 of 2

adjective

sed·a·tive ˈse-də-tiv

Synonyms of sedative

: tending to calm, moderate, or tranquilize nervousness or excitement

sedative

2 of 2

Examples of sedative in a Sentence

Adjective some people find a glass of wine to be a civilized and sedative addition to an evening meal Noun The patient was given a powerful sedative.

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

Adjective

Her pencil produced a soft scrubbing sound, filling the room with a sedative rhythm. — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026 But the police also caution that many stories involving scopolamine verge on urban legend, and confirm that most criminals use other sedative drugs to manipulate their victims. — Mattha Busby, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2026

Noun

Dale Morant was living in his car in a Walmart parking lot and doing a lot of oxycodone or other sedatives. — Katie Campione, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026 As Ryan prepared to return to the United States, he and three members of the press were shot and killed, prompting Jones to enact a mass suicide plan involving drinking a fruit drink laced with poison and sedatives. — Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sedative

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, alleviating pain, from Middle French sedatif, from Medieval Latin sedativus, from Latin sedatus

First Known Use

Adjective

1779, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1797, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of sedative was in 1779

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

sedation

sedative

sedative salt

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Sedative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sedative. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

sedative

1 of 2 adjective

sed·a·tive ˈsed-ət-iv

: tending to calm or to ease tension

sedative

2 of 2 noun

: a sedative medicine

Medical Definition

sedative

1 of 2 adjective

sed·a·tive ˈsed-ət-iv

: tending to calm, moderate, or tranquilize nervousness or excitement

sedative effects of anesthetics and analgesics—Linda C. Haynes et al.

sedative

2 of 2 noun

: a sedative agent or drug

sedative

adjective

noun

Synonyms of sedative

Examples of sedative in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Medical Definition

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