as in harmless
not causing or being capable of causing injury or hurt
the otherwise anodyne comments sounded quite inflammatory when taken out of context
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in sedative
something (as a drug) that relieves pain
the dentist prescribed an anodyne after the root canal
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in narcotic
something that soothes, calms, or induces passivity or a sense of security
as an anodyne for the stress and superficiality of the modern world, there's nothing better than reading a literary classic of substance and insight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Examples Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of anodyne
Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2024
Fleiss promises that, in an era of increasingly anodyne screen stories about celebrities which chiefly serve to burnish their brands, her own tale will be welcomely unfiltered.
—Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Oct. 2024
Adam Rogers, Wired, 11 Feb. 2020
To yield to the soft tyranny of transgender pronouns is to pretend that gender dysphoria is an anodyne lifestyle on which societal legitimacy should be conferred, not a psychological malady requiring compassion and psychological treatment.
—Josh Hammer, National Review, 27 Jan. 2020
See all Example Sentences for anodyne 
Adjective
In prior elections, this would be the time when there would be blanket ads about getting out the vote, for example, but, outside of Taylor Swift’s endorsement on Instagram, there hasn’t really been the same fervor around even something that’s as seemingly anodyne as reminding people to vote.
—Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2024
Fleiss promises that, in an era of increasingly anodyne screen stories about celebrities which chiefly serve to burnish their brands, her own tale will be welcomely unfiltered.
—Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Oct. 2024
Noun
The result of all that rulemaking and political sensitivity is the anodyne Covid-19.
—Adam Rogers, Wired, 11 Feb. 2020
To yield to the soft tyranny of transgender pronouns is to pretend that gender dysphoria is an anodyne lifestyle on which societal legitimacy should be conferred, not a psychological malady requiring compassion and psychological treatment.
—Josh Hammer, National Review, 27 Jan. 2020
See all Example Sentences for anodyne
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anodyne
Adjective
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Most dogs would do anything for a treat, and while giving them a little snack is usually harmless, constantly overfeeding them can be detrimental to their health.Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
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Couples are granting each other permission to share presumably harmless admissions, like covering holes in the ceiling with birthday decorations, which typically escalates into pretty murky territory.Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 6 Dec. 2024
Noun
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And among the plants included were Egyptian blue water lily and Syrian rue, which contain hallucinogenic, medicinal, intoxicating and sedative properties that can alter perception and enhance visionary experiences, Tanasi said.Ashley Strickland, CNN, 26 Nov. 2024
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Surgeons commonly do the procedure with patients awake, using local anesthesia (numbing injections) plus an oral sedative, like Xanax, to quell anxiety.Jolene Edgar, Allure, 20 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The suspects were charged with abandonment of a person followed by death, as well as supply and facilitation of narcotics, Argentina's National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office said in a Nov. 7 press release.Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 9 Dec. 2024
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Prosecutors allege that a social media network was set up by an alumnus of Rutgers University to facilitate the sale and distribution of narcotics.Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA TODAY, 7 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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But however benign Trump may be for the industry, higher U.S. production in 2025 will largely be down to the spirit of private enterprise.Gaurav Sharma, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
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Meanwhile, Cotton — who recently underwent surgery to remove a benign tumor — last posted about Wood on his birthday on Instagram in October.Daniela Avila, People.com, 13 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The Federal Aviation Administration mandates that commercial airplanes carry an arsenal of intravenous and diagnostic equipment, and various medications including analgesics, antihistamines and epinephrine.Christine Chung, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2024
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This category includes ketamine, lower doses of opioid analgesics and anabolic steroids, for instance.Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 1 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Natural forms of opiates and dopamine – key players in brain pathways that diminish pain and enhance reward – seem to be telltale ingredients of the elevated tails in our anticipation training program.Kelly Lambert, Discover Magazine, 14 Nov. 2024
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Additionally, in areas where the country set up harm-reduction programs, improvements were observed in addicts’ life expectancies and psychological well-being, coupled with an overall reduction in the illicit consumption of opiates.Amir A. Afkhami, Foreign Affairs, 2 Apr. 2013
Adjective
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Fire, emergency, and police services keep us safe and enable protection of our property.Marshall Shepherd, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024
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This is the very edge of California’s dairy country—and so far, the cows here are safe.Simon Hill, WIRED, 14 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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And thousands of kits that could free more innocent people have been left untested – again.Gina Barton, USA TODAY, 5 Dec. 2024
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While this sounds easy and innocent enough, FAFSA has the potential to become an insidious tool.Noreen Sugrue, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near anodyne
Cite this Entry
“Anodyne.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anodyne. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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