painkiller
noun
pain·kill·er
ˈpān-ˌki-lər 
variants
or less commonly pain-killer
: something (such as a drug) that relieves pain
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
Photo illustration by Beck Harlan/NPR When hit with a headache or fever, people often reach for over-the-counter painkillers like acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) as their first line of defense.
—
Andee Tagle, NPR, 18 Apr. 2025
One potential approach is targeting T-regs directly to increase the production of the painkiller enkephalin, which ultimately would benefit both women and men.
—Jenny Lehmann, Discover Magazine, 7 Apr. 2025
For example, plants in China and India make nearly all of the world’s supply of the active ingredients in the painkiller ibuprofen and the antibiotic ciprofloxacin, according to Clarivate, an industry data provider.
—Rebecca Robbins, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025
There’s an interesting parallel in the fact that Noah’s character Carter had a painkiller addiction for back pain on that show.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for painkiller
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Andee Tagle, NPR, 18 Apr. 2025
One potential approach is targeting T-regs directly to increase the production of the painkiller enkephalin, which ultimately would benefit both women and men.
—Jenny Lehmann, Discover Magazine, 7 Apr. 2025
For example, plants in China and India make nearly all of the world’s supply of the active ingredients in the painkiller ibuprofen and the antibiotic ciprofloxacin, according to Clarivate, an industry data provider.
—Rebecca Robbins, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025
There’s an interesting parallel in the fact that Noah’s character Carter had a painkiller addiction for back pain on that show.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for painkiller
Cite this Entry
“Painkiller.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/painkiller. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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