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Showing results for local anesthetic. Search instead for topical anesthetic.
Synonyms

local anesthetic

Cultural  

  1. An anesthetic that causes loss of sensation only to the area to which it is applied. (Compare general anesthetic.)

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.

A local anesthetic provides some relief, but providers still recommend taking ibuprofen shortly before your appointment.

From Slate • Aug. 27, 2024

Usually the procedure can be carried out under local anesthetic, meaning the person is awake, and takes only about 15 minutes.

From Salon • Mar. 3, 2024

A survey published this year found that only 4% of trained physicians in the United States offered an injection of a local anesthetic, which has been found to be effective for pain relief.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 14, 2023

Typically for root canal, patients receive a local anesthetic to numb the area around the tooth or teeth involved in the procedure.

From Washington Times • Jun. 12, 2023

A quick shot of local anesthetic, irrigate the wound, nine stitches, and I was done.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

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.