Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for anesthetic. Search instead for Wigan Athletic.
Synonyms

anesthetic

American  
[an-uhs-thet-ik] / ˌæn əsˈθɛt ɪk /
Or anaesthetic

noun

  1. a substance that produces anesthesia, as halothane, procaine, or ether.

adjective

  1. pertaining to or causing physical insensibility.

    an anesthetic gas.

  2. physically insensitive.

    Halothane is used to produce an anesthetic state.
anesthetic British  
/ ˌænɪsˈθɛtɪk /

noun

  1. the usual US spelling of anaesthetic

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
anesthetic Scientific  
/ ăn′ĭs-thĕt′ĭk /

  1. A drug that temporarily depresses neuronal function, producing total or partial loss of sensation with or without the loss of consciousness.

anesthetic Cultural  

  1. A substance that causes loss of sensation or consciousness. With the aid of an anesthetic, people can undergo surgery without pain. (See general anesthetic and local anesthetic.)

Other Word Forms

  • anesthetically adverb
  • nonanesthetic adjective
  • postanesthetic adjective
  • semianesthetic adjective

Etymology

Origin of anesthetic

1840–50, < Greek anaísthēt ( os ) without feeling, senseless + -ic; an- 1, aesthetic

Compare meaning

How does anesthetic compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

An epidural is an invasive procedure in which an anesthetic is delivered into the body via a catheter inserted into the lower back.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 12, 2025

In June 2023, the pontiff underwent another operation under general anesthetic to remove scar tissue and repair a hernia in his abdominal wall, problems incurred by his previous colon surgery.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2025

A local anesthetic provides some relief, but providers still recommend taking ibuprofen shortly before your appointment.

From Slate • Aug. 27, 2024

"The European guidelines of the European Resuscitation Council don't yet set out any specific recommendations for possible anesthetic drugs," explains Jansen.

From Science Daily • Apr. 24, 2024

The doctors and nurses conferred in the corridor for a minute and decided they would put me under general anesthetic and remove the splints that way.

From "Ugly" by Robert Hoge

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.