Narcotic

/nɑː(ɹ)ˈkɒtɪk/

Synonyms for "narcotic" (130 found)

Ranked by relevance and common usage.

Closest matches (26)

alcoholamobarbital sodiumamytalamytal pillanalgesicanestheticanodynebarbbarbituratebarbiturate pillblack stuffblueblue angelblue devilblue heavenblue velvetcalmantcalmativechloral hydratecodeine
Show 5 more words
Noun(1 words)
controlled substance

Strong matches (39)

Noun(6 words)
drug-relatedhabit forming drugillicit druginebriantintoxicantmorphine

Related words (65)

Choosing the right synonym

  • Closest matches in this entry: alcohol, amobarbital sodium, amytal, amytal pill, analgesic.
  • Sentence evidence is available for narcotic, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
  • Ranking signals come from moby, opengloss, derived_reverse, wordnet, and related lexical sources.

Synonym selection checklist

  • Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
  • Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
  • Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "narcotic".
  • Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.

When not to replace "narcotic"

Keep "narcotic" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.

If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.

Replacement workflow

1. Preserve meaning

Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "narcotic" intact in the sentence you are editing.

2. Tune tone

Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.

3. Re-read context

Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.

Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.

Final fit check

After choosing a replacement for "narcotic", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.

If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "narcotic" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.

Related word relations

OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.

6 relation types

More general

5 entries
drugdrug attributedrug effectpharmacological descriptorpharmacological effect

More specific

9 entries

Collocations

10 entries
narcotic abusenarcotic analgesicnarcotic controlnarcotic dosenarcotic drugnarcotic lawnarcotic policynarcotic regulationnarcotic traffickingnarcotic withdrawal

Inflections

3 entries
more narcoticmost narcoticnarcotics

Derivations

5 entries

similar

2 entries

Sample sentences

15 total sentences available.

Tatoeba + Wiktionary

Prostitution, gambling, the use of narcotic substances, drunkenness, disorder, and all other illegal activities are STRICTLY FORBIDDEN.

Source: tatoeba (450980)

In the first years that Coca-Cola was produced, it contained cocaine. In 1914, cocaine was classified as a narcotic, after which they used caffeine instead of cocaine in the production of Coca-Cola.

Source: tatoeba (522705)

On these occasions I have noticed such a dreamy, vacant expression in his eyes, that I might have suspected him of being addicted to the use of some narcotic, had not the temperance and cleanliness of his whole life forbidden such a notion.

Source: tatoeba (6301675)

The gray sky is narcotic.

Source: tatoeba (6577579)

Showing 4 of 15 available sentences.

Common questions

What are the closest synonyms for "narcotic"?

Closest matches include alcohol, amobarbital sodium, amytal, amytal pill, analgesic.

How should I check whether a synonym fits "narcotic"?

Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.

More for "narcotic"