opioid

[ oh-pee-oid ]

/ ˈoʊ piˌɔɪd /

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noun Biochemistry, Pharmacology.

an opiate, or any similar synthetic compound: formerly referring only to the latter, but now the predominant term for both the opium-derived and synthetically produced substances: Illicit use of the synthetic opioid fentanyl is on the rise.The opium poppy is the source for all natural opioids.

any opiumlike substance: Have any opioids been detected in poppies that do not contain opium?

any of a group of natural substances, as the endorphins, produced by the body in increased amounts in response to stress and pain.

adjective

pertaining to such a substance: opioid drugs such as heroin and oxycodone;opioid neuropeptides.

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Origin of opioid

First recorded in 1955–60; opi(um) + -oid

Words nearby opioid

opinion, opinionated, opinionative, opinioned, opinion poll, opioid, opioid epidemic, opistho-, opisthobranch, opisthodomos, opisthognathous

How to use opioid in a sentence

Evidence obtained in the investigation showed that McKinsey senior executives in 2018 discussed destroying documents relating to the firm’s opioid work.
McKinsey, adviser to businesses around the world, agrees to pay $573.9 million to settle charges for its role in opioid epidemic|Peter Whoriskey, Christopher Rowland|February 5, 2021|Washington Post
Rural and poor, Mingo County had the fourth-highest prescription opioid death rate of any county in the United States.
These local newspapers say Facebook and Google are killing them. Now they’re fighting back.|Margaret Sullivan|February 4, 2021|Washington Post
Meanwhile, the pandemic has worsened the opioid crisis, which has caused more than 400,000 overdose deaths in the past two decades.
Coronavirus stalls long-awaited day in court for historic opioid lawsuit|Meryl Kornfield|December 26, 2020|Washington Post
His resignation letter cited the need to “win the fight against opioid abuse in order to save our country” and added that “players both big and small must meet equal justice under the law.”
The Justice Department Sues Walmart, Accusing It of Illegally Dispensing Opioids|by Jesse Eisinger and James Bandler|December 23, 2020|ProPublica

Justice Department lawyers in Texas had launched a criminal investigation about Walmart’s handling of opioid painkillers and were prepared to bring charges, according to media reports.
U.S. government accuses Walmart of fueling opioid crisis, alleging it ignored internal warnings from pharmacists|kdunn6|December 23, 2020|Fortune
In July, the Centers for Disease Control said more specifically that opioid painkillers kill someone every hour.
No More Paper Prescriptions: Docs Fight Fraud by Going Electronic|Dale Eisinger|December 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
With an increase in opioid prescriptions starting in the early 2000s, overdoses in the U.S. began to skyrocket.
Is Weed the Secret to Beating Opiate Addiction?|Tracey Mitchell, Abby Haglage|September 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Never deny a request for an antibiotic, an opioid pain medication, a scan, or an admission.
You Can't Yelp Your Doctor|Daniela Drake|May 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Opioid overdose deaths in America are now greater than heroin and cocaine combined.
America’s Oxy-Express Route to Heroin Addiction|Abby Haglage|May 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Once in the system, it binds with opioid receptor cells that send endorphins shooting through the body.
Hallucinating Away a Heroin Addiction|Abby Haglage|May 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for opioid

opioid

/ (ˈəʊpɪˌɔɪd) /

noun

any of a group of substances that resemble morphine in their physiological or pharmacological effects, esp in their pain-relieving properties
(modifier) of or relating to such substancesopioid receptor; opioid analgesic

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