tranquilize
Americanverb (used with or without object)
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of tranquilize
Explanation
If your cat Fluffy seems dazed after a visit to the vet, it’s probably because the vet had to tranquilize her. In other words, Fluffy was given a drug to calm her down or make her sleep. When doctors tranquilize a patient, it's usually to calm or relax the person before a medical procedure or after some trauma. It's more common to hear the verb tranquilize in the context of animal medicine or encounters with wild animals. For example, if a bear wanders into a suburban neighborhood, officials might use a dart gun to tranquilize it; they can then safely capture and relocate the bear. The root word, tranquil, comes from the Latin tranquillus, meaning "quiet."
Vocabulary lists containing tranquilize
The Battle of the Labyrinth
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for October 9–October 15, 2021
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Endangered
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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.
Tranquilize yourself, Astræa," I cried; "there is nothing to fear here.
From Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 15, August, 1851 by Various
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.
