an·es·thet·ic
ˌa-nəs-ˈthe-tik 
1
: of, relating to, or capable of producing anesthesia
2
: lacking awareness or sensitivity
was anesthetic to their feelings
1
: a substance that produces anesthesia
2
: something that brings relief : palliative
Synonyms
Examples of anesthetic in a Sentence
Noun
The doctor gave him the stitches without an anesthetic.
the dentist waited until the anesthetic took effect
Recent Examples on the Web
New Atlas, 19 July 2024
Ahead of the Friends anniversary on Sunday, creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane, as well as executive producer Kevin S. Bright, spoke to the Today show about how his tragic death from the effects of anesthetic ketamine has cast a bit of a shadow on what would otherwise be a celebratory time.
—Christy Piña, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Sep. 2024
Mark Jones, The Arizona Republic, 28 Oct. 2024
Advertisement Ketamine is a legal medication commonly used as an anesthetic, but is also abused recreationally for its calming and dissociative effects.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for anesthetic 
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Adjective
The researchers are currently exploring whether other anesthetic drugs achieve the same effect by different means.
—New Atlas, 19 July 2024
Ahead of the Friends anniversary on Sunday, creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane, as well as executive producer Kevin S. Bright, spoke to the Today show about how his tragic death from the effects of anesthetic ketamine has cast a bit of a shadow on what would otherwise be a celebratory time.
—Christy Piña, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Sep. 2024
Noun
In 1846: William Morton successfully demonstrated the use of ether as an anesthetic for surgery, revolutionizing the field of medicine.
—Mark Jones, The Arizona Republic, 28 Oct. 2024
Advertisement Ketamine is a legal medication commonly used as an anesthetic, but is also abused recreationally for its calming and dissociative effects.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for anesthetic
Dictionary Entries Near anesthetic
Cite this Entry
“Anesthetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anesthetic. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
anesthetic
1 of 2 adjective
an·es·thet·ic
ˌan-əs-ˈthet-ik
: of, relating to, or capable of producing anesthesia
anesthetic
2 of 2 noun
: a substance that produces anesthesia in part or all of the body
Medical Definition
anesthetic
1 of 2 adjective
an·es·thet·ic
variants
or chiefly British anaesthetic
1
: capable of producing anesthesia
anesthetic agents
2
: of, relating to, or caused by anesthesia
an anesthetic effect
anesthetic symptoms
anesthetic
2 of 2 noun
variants
or chiefly British anaesthetic
: a substance that produces anesthesia
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