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 This film documents the life of artist Nan Goldin and her activism against the Sackler family, whose Purdue Pharma aggressively marketed its OxyContin painkiller — a substance largely responsible for America’s opioid crisis. Tyler Coates, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Apr. 2024 Her performance is essentially Shirley MacLaine’s hospital scene in Terms of Endearment played at full throttle for two hours straight, only with no one ever delivering a painkiller. Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 9 Mar. 2024 Turns out Winters died from ingesting a lethal combination of painkillers and antifreeze. Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 17 Feb. 2024 More and more of those products are being made and smuggled into the U.S. by Mexican drug cartels, often in the form of painkillers like Percocet and oxycodone and party drugs popular with young people. USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024 Others require stronger treatments, such as prescription painkillers in order to get through the day. Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024 The list does not include coolers, painkillers, anesthetics or medical equipment, yet Nossair said everything from anesthesia to acetaminophen is rejected. Charlene Gubash, NBC News, 30 Mar. 2024 Exercise regularly, if possible, to improve blood flow and release endorphins, which are natural painkillers. Anna Almendrala, Health, 30 Mar. 2024 Taking lots of painkillers might damage your kidneys. Leif Wenar, WIRED, 27 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'painkiller.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 Apr. 2024.

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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