painkiller
noun
pain·kill·er ˈpān-ˌki-lər 
variants or less commonly pain-killer
: something (such as a drug) that relieves pain
pain-killing
ˈpān-ˌki-liŋ
adjective or painkilling
Synonyms
- analgesic
- anesthetic
- anodyne
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
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 Military investigators informed her that Disney had ingested an imitation Percocet, a prescription painkiller. 
Seth Harp, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2022 Endo has faced thousands of lawsuits over the marketing and sale of its painkiller Opana ER, which the company discontinued in 2017 at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Ed Silverman, STAT, 22 Aug. 2022 Finally, if your doctor prescribes an opioid painkiller, ask if there are any non-narcotic alternatives and, if prescribed, request that any refills require authorization. Dana Santas, CNN, 7 July 2022 It was marketed as a non-addictive, extended-release prescription painkiller and was soon prescribed to millions across the U.S. Carmela Chirinos, Fortune, 16 Mar. 2022 Purdue Pharma, whose OxyContin painkiller has been widely blamed for kickstarting the opioid crisis, is pursuing a $6 billion settlement in bankruptcy court. Reuters, CNN, 26 July 2022 Over the five years from the appearance of the blood-disease cluster in Tennessee to the drug’s withdrawal from the market, the painkiller had brought in more than $844 million in revenue, according to corporate filings. New York Times, 29 June 2022 His team reviewed business plans and evaluated new drugs that Purdue hoped would help move the company beyond the turmoil associated with OxyContin, its addictive painkiller that medical experts say helped to spark the opioid epidemic. New York Times, 13 Apr. 2022 The hearing may be the closest thing to a trial for Sackler family members, who victims say helped spark and prolong the epidemic through the marketing of their signature painkiller OxyContin. Geoff Mulvihill And Jennifer Peltz, Anchorage Daily News, 10 Mar. 2022 See More
Seth Harp, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2022 Endo has faced thousands of lawsuits over the marketing and sale of its painkiller Opana ER, which the company discontinued in 2017 at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Ed Silverman, STAT, 22 Aug. 2022 Finally, if your doctor prescribes an opioid painkiller, ask if there are any non-narcotic alternatives and, if prescribed, request that any refills require authorization. Dana Santas, CNN, 7 July 2022 It was marketed as a non-addictive, extended-release prescription painkiller and was soon prescribed to millions across the U.S. Carmela Chirinos, Fortune, 16 Mar. 2022 Purdue Pharma, whose OxyContin painkiller has been widely blamed for kickstarting the opioid crisis, is pursuing a $6 billion settlement in bankruptcy court. Reuters, CNN, 26 July 2022 Over the five years from the appearance of the blood-disease cluster in Tennessee to the drug’s withdrawal from the market, the painkiller had brought in more than $844 million in revenue, according to corporate filings. New York Times, 29 June 2022 His team reviewed business plans and evaluated new drugs that Purdue hoped would help move the company beyond the turmoil associated with OxyContin, its addictive painkiller that medical experts say helped to spark the opioid epidemic. New York Times, 13 Apr. 2022 The hearing may be the closest thing to a trial for Sackler family members, who victims say helped spark and prolong the epidemic through the marketing of their signature painkiller OxyContin. Geoff Mulvihill And Jennifer Peltz, Anchorage Daily News, 10 Mar. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1849, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
painkiller
noun
pain·kill·er -ˌkil-ər
: something (as a drug) that relieves pain
painkiller
noun
as in sedative
something (as a drug) that relieves pain after her oral surgery, she was given a prescription for a mild painkiller Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- sedative
- analgesic
- tranquilizer
- tranquillizer
- anesthetic
- narcotic
- opiate
- anodyne