painkiller

[peyn-kil-er]

noun

1. a drug, treatment, or anything else that relieves pain, especially an analgesic.

painkiller

/ ˈpeɪnˌkɪlə /

noun

1. an analgesic drug or agent

2. anything that relieves pain

Other Word Forms

• painkilling adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of painkiller¹

An Americanism dating back to 1850–55; pain + killer

Example Sentences

She has to go to some dark places, channeling Claire’s depression, addiction to painkillers and more — but despite her penchant for playing more carefree women, Hudson says she wasn’t intimidated by the role’s meatier aspects.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Prosecutors alleged that the man, who has not been publicly named, injected his mostly elderly patients with painkillers or sedatives in an effort to ease his workload during shifts overnight.

Read more on BBC

In small, careful doses, it can make painkillers more effective if you are not having too much caffeine on a daily basis.

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Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, is commonly used as a painkiller in medicine and dentistry, but it is frequently used as a recreational drug.

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In an echo of the left’s climate-change lawsuits against fossil-fuel producers, the lawsuit claims J&J and Kenvue knew of the painkiller’s alleged risks to pregnant women and failed to warn them.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• aspirin 
• drug 
• medicine 
• morphine 
• ointment 
• opiate 
• sedative 
• tranquilizer