What does "heroin" mean?
A powerful and addictive drug derived from opium producing intense euphoria, classed as an illegal narcotic in most of the world.
Heroin
/ˈhɛɹoʊ.ɪn/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A powerful and addictive drug derived from opium producing intense euphoria, classed as an illegal narcotic in most of the world.
- Grammar: heroin is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: diacetylmorphine, alcohol, amobarbital sodium, amytal.
- Useful contrasts: legal drug, nonprescription drug, prescribed drug.
- Usage evidence: The police searched the house and seized 2 kilograms of heroin.
How to use "heroin"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "heroin" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "heroin" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "heroin" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "heroin" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "heroin" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "diacetylmorphine" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "heroin", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A powerful and addictive drug derived from opium producing intense euphoria, classed as an illegal narcotic in most of the world. countable, uncountable
"Wow, that heroin is in my blood / And the blood is in my head / Yeah, thank God that I'm good as dead / Ooohhh, thank your God that I'm not aware / And thank God that I just don't care / And I guess I just don't know"
- 2 Obsolete form of heroine. alt-of, obsolete
"Strictly Orthodox, Porcia has bent her Fortune and Applications to the Advantage of the true Religion. In a word, no Perfection is feeble, or ſhines dim in Porcia; all is ſtrenuous, bright, confirm’d, and unexceptionable. She only is worthy to ſupply the Loſs of Ximena, in ſo great a Breaſt as Horatio’s, were Fortune to do what Merit has done, wou’d ſhe not make the Union? Where more juſtly cou’d we beſtow the Charms of a Heroin, who has done all things for Vertue and Honour, than in the Arms of a Hero, who has left nothing undone for Fame and Glory?"
- 3 a narcotic that is considered a hard drug; a highly addictive morphine derivative; intravenous injection provides the fastest and most intense rush wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
legal drugnonprescription drugprescribed drug
Example
"The police searched the house and seized 2 kilograms of heroin."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "heroin"?
Common synonyms include: diacetylmorphine, alcohol, amobarbital sodium, amytal, amytal pill, analgesic.
How do you use "heroin" in a sentence?
The police searched the house and seized 2 kilograms of heroin.
How do you pronounce "heroin"?
Pronounced /ˈhɛɹoʊ.ɪn/.
Etymology
Since the 1890s, from German Heroin, originally a trademark, from Ancient Greek ἥρως (hḗrōs, “hero”) and the suffix -in (“-ine”). Said to have been called thus to evoke quick and sweeping effect as a painkiller and cough suppressant (its original uses). Alternatively explained as a reference to the heroic school of medicine.