sedative
Americanadjective
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tending to calm or soothe.
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allaying irritability or excitement; assuaging pain; lowering functional activity.
noun
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sedatives
plural
adjective
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having a soothing or calming effect
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of or relating to sedation
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of sedative
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English (adjective), from Middle French sédatif, from Medieval Latin sēdātīvus; equivalent to sedate + -ive
Explanation
A sedative is a drug that calms you down. If a patient is freaking out about getting an MRI or minor surgery, the doctor might prescribe a sedative to chill them out. A sedative is anything that makes you sedate — peaceful, calm, tranquil. In medicine this word refers to drugs that relieve anxiety or tranquilizers that pretty much knock you out. But other non-pharmaceutical things can have sedative effects, like a soothing cup of tea or a relaxing glass of wine. The tryptophan in turkey is actually a natural sedative — that's why everyone is sleepy after Thanksgiving dinner!
Vocabulary lists containing sedative
The Great Gatsby
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"The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury
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"The Great Gatsby," Chapter 1 Vocabulary
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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:
Specifically, the pain-relieving effects were linked to the adenosine A2a receptor -- a receptor that caffeine targets and blocks -- suggesting that terpenes may also have sedative properties.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 20, 2026
Emergency-room visits for vertigo commonly result in unnecessary diagnostic tests and sedative medications, potentially worsening patient outcomes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 15, 2026
Despite this progress, Abigail said her mum was still "temporarily paralysed and on heavy sedative medication... she's not very compos-mentis," Abigail said.
From BBC ● Nov. 28, 2025
It can act both as a stimulant and as a sedative.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 29, 2024
I saw that turbulent emotions possessed her, so I asked what I thought would be some sedative questions about her little girl.
From " The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald
While many ER visits for dizziness result in expensive CT scans and sedatives, researchers are finding there are more-effective options.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026
Monitored by a police drone, an exhausted Buddy finally laid down to rest as a vet administered some sedatives in the early hours of Sunday.
From BBC ● Dec. 1, 2025
If home euthanasia is more than you can afford, ask your veterinarian about sedatives you can give your dog to ease their suffering when you transport them to the clinic.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2025
Lifestyle TV might as well be sedatives or anti-depressants, the medicine people want in tumultuous times.
From Salon ● Mar. 5, 2025
But he was resting under sedatives in Amarillo curing his prostatitis.
From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck
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.
