painkiller

noun

pain·​kill·​er ˈpān-ˌki-lər How to pronounce painkiller (audio)
variants or less commonly pain-killer
: something (such as a drug) that relieves pain
pain-killing adjective
or painkilling

Examples of painkiller in a Sentence

I took some over-the-counter painkillers for my headache. after her oral surgery, she was given a prescription for a mild painkiller
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Sackler family and Purdue Pharma, the maker of the addictive painkiller oxycontin, have reached a $7.4 billion settlement with a bipartisan coalition of 15 states for fueling the opioid crisis, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced Thursday. Katrina Kaufman, CBS News, 23 Jan. 2025 Though the series went on to cast a new Darrin Stephens, York remained bedridden for months and struggled with an addiction to painkillers, per a recent documentary about the series. Justine Fisher, People.com, 22 Jan. 2025 Walgreens Boots Alliance — The pharmacy stock declined more than 9% after the U.S. Justice Department filed a nationwide lawsuit against the company, alleging that Walgreens knowingly filled unlawful prescriptions for opioids and other highly addictive painkillers. Hakyung Kim, CNBC, 21 Jan. 2025 But painkillers, antibiotics and medicine for chronic diseases like diabetes are impossible to find. Abu Bakr Bashir, New York Times, 28 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for painkiller 

Word History

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of painkiller was in 1849

Dictionary Entries Near painkiller

Cite this Entry

“Painkiller.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/painkiller. Accessed 28 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

painkiller

noun
pain·​kill·​er ˈpān-ˌkil-ər How to pronounce painkiller (audio)
: something (as a drug) that relieves pain
painkilling adjective

Medical Definition

painkiller

noun
pain·​kill·​er -ˌkil-ər How to pronounce painkiller (audio)
: something (as a drug) that relieves pain
painkilling adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on painkiller

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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