painkiller
Americannoun
noun
-
an analgesic drug or agent
-
anything that relieves pain
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of painkiller
Explanation
A painkiller is a medicine that's used to dull or relieve pain, like the painkiller your dad gives you when you have a bad headache. Painkillers are meant to do exactly what their name says: to kill pain. You can also call this kind of medication an analgesic. These range from aspirin and acetaminophen, which are sold over the counter to treat minor aches and pains, to powerful anesthetics administered by doctors before surgery. If you get your wisdom teeth removed, you'll most likely need a painkiller during and after the procedure.
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.
See Examples For:
Scientific research has not identified causality between taking the painkiller and the development of those conditions in children.
From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026
The painkiller is usually prescribed for relatively minor conditions, such as aching joints or people recovering from surgery.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
A UK-wide shortage of the strongest form of the painkiller - the 30/500mg dosage - is ongoing due to the Indian government delaying the authorisation to import ingredients required to make the drug there.
From BBC ● Feb. 18, 2026
He previously wrote about Samsung from Seoul, but in prior stints at the Journal's New York, Atlanta and Chicago offices, he covered Wall Street's biggest buyers, painkiller addiction, airlines and food.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 31, 2026
“You seem in a good mood, Master Kilvin,” I said cautiously, wondering what painkiller he’d been given at the Medica.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
It can often be treated at home with plenty of rest, painkillers and anti-sickness medicine.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
In Pasadena, volunteers at the restaurant Chamo Venezuelan Cuisine collected supplies, issuing a special plea for bandages, gauze, painkillers and other over-the-counter medicines.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
Eli Lilly is looking for its next growth engine, cutting a deal that could launch its latest bid to establish a foothold in the market for non-opioid painkillers.
From Barron's ● Jun. 19, 2026
Kevin Liu, an oil and gas analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence, compared the SPR releases as a painkillers for the oil market.
From MarketWatch ● May 28, 2026
I take off my glasses, wipe my palms across my eyes, and let them close, grateful the painkillers will dull all the aches with sleep.
From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed
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.
