sedation
Americannoun
-
the calming of mental excitement or abatement of physiological function, especially by the administration of a drug.
-
the state so induced.
noun
-
a state of calm or reduced nervous activity
-
the administration of a sedative
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of sedation
First recorded in 1535–45; from Latin sēdātiōn-, stem of sēdātiō; equivalent to sedate + -ion
Explanation
Sedation is either the state of being relaxed or sleepy because of a drug, or the act of drugging someone with a sedative. Sedatives are drugs that people take to relax or fall asleep, and sedation has two related meanings. Sedation can be the condition of someone who has taken a sedative. You're in a state of sedation if you're relaxed, mellow, sleepy, or low-key because of a drug. Also, sedation can be the action of doctors or nurses in calming someone through drugs. A nurse may put a patient under sedation if they can't sleep. Sedation is an act of drugging.
Vocabulary lists containing sedation
Ugly
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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:
GAE typically takes between one and two hours and is performed under conscious sedation.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 23, 2026
With sedation, that could add £700 to a bill.
From BBC ● Jan. 12, 2026
These adverse events included dizziness, sedation, and nausea, with increases described as moderate to large.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 30, 2025
I was constantly looking outside myself for both stimulation and sedation.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2025
He drew solace and sedation from her nearness.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
Maybe we are not so interested in perfection and its sedations after all.
From New York Times ● Nov. 11, 2021
For example, she says, using general anesthesia for a colonoscopy when lesser sedations are sufficient can add thousands of dollars to a patient’s bill.
From BusinessWeek ● Nov. 20, 2012
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.
