A drug that reduces excitability and calms a person.

synonyms: depressant, downer, sedative drug.

Roget 683: inactivity; inaction etc. 681; inertness etc. 172; obstinacy etc. 606.    lull etc. (cessation) 142; quiescence etc. 265; rust, rustiness.    idleness, remissness etc. adj.; sloth, indolence, indiligence^†; dawdling etc. v.. ergophobia^†, otiosity^†.    dullness etc. adj.; languor; segnity^†, segnitude^†; lentor^†; sluggishness etc. (slowness) 275; procrastination etc. (delay) 133; torpor, torpidity, torpescence^†; stupor etc. (insensibility) 823; somnolence; drowsiness etc. adj.; nodding etc. v.; oscitation^†, oscitancy^†; pandiculation^†, hypnotism, lethargy; statuvolence heaviness^†, heavy eyelids.    sleep, slumber; sound sleep, heavy sleep, balmy sleep; Morpheus; Somnus; coma, trance, ecstasis^†, dream, hibernation, nap, doze, snooze, siesta, wink of sleep, forty winks, snore; hypnology^†.    dull work; pottering; relaxation etc. (loosening) 47; Castle of Indolence.    [Cause of inactivity] lullaby, sedative, tranquilizer, hypnotic, sleeping pill, relaxant, anaesthetic, general anaesthetic etc. 174; torpedo.    [person who is inactive] idler, drone, droil^†, dawdle, mopus^†; do-little faineant [Fr.], dummy, sleeping partner; afternoon farmer; truant etc. (runaway) 623; bummer^†, loafer, goldbrick, goldbicker, lounger, lazzarone [It]; lubber, lubbard^†; slow coach etc. (slow.) 275; opium eater, lotus eater; slug; lag^†, sluggard, slugabed; slumberer, dormouse, marmot; waiter on Providence, fruges consumere natus [Lat.].    ... show more

Roget 662: remedy, help, cure, redress; medicine, medicament; diagnosis, medical examination; medical treatment; surgery; preventive medicine.    [medical devices] clinical thermometer, stethoscope, X-ray machine.    anthelmintic [Med.]; antidote, antifebrile [Med.], antipoison^†, counterpoison^†, antitoxin, antispasmodic; bracer, faith cure, placebo; helminthagogue^†, lithagogue^†, pick-meup, stimulant, tonic; vermifuge, prophylactic, corrective, restorative; sedative etc. 174; palliative; febrifuge; alterant^†, alterative; specific; antiseptic, emetic, analgesic, pain-killer, antitussive [Med.], antiinflammatory [Med.], antibiotic, antiviral [Med.], antifungal [Med.], carminative; Nepenthe, Mithridate.    cure, treatment, regimen; radical cure, perfect cure, certain cure; sovereign remedy.    examination, diagnosis, diagnostics; analysis, urinalysis, biopsy, radiology.    medicine, physic, Galenicals^†, simples, drug, pharmaceutical, prescription, potion, draught, dose, pill, bolus, injection, infusion, drip, suppository, electuary^†; linctus^†, lincture^†; medicament; pharmacon^†.    nostrum, receipt, recipe, prescription; catholicon^†, panacea, elixir, elixir vitae, philosopher's stone; balm, balsam, cordial, theriac^†, ptisan^†.    agueweed^†, arnica, benzoin, bitartrate of potash, boneset^†, calomel, catnip, cinchona, cream of tartar, Epsom salts [Chem]; feverroot^†, feverwort; friar's balsam, Indian sage; ipecac, ipecacuanha; jonquil, mercurous chloride, Peruvian bark; quinine, quinquina^†; sassafras, yarrow.    salve, ointment, cerate, oil, lenitive, lotion, cosmetic; plaster; epithem^†, embrocation^†, liniment, cataplasm^†, sinapism^†, arquebusade^†, traumatic, vulnerary, pepastic^†, poultice, collyrium^†, depilatory; emplastrum^†; eyewater^†, vesicant, vesicatory [Med.].    compress, pledget^†; bandage etc. (support) 215.    treatment, medical treatment, regimen; dietary, dietetics; vis medicatrix^†, vis medicatrix naturae [Lat.]; medecine expectante [Fr.]; bloodletting, bleeding, venesection [Med.], phlebotomy, cupping, sanguisae, leeches; operation, surgical operation; transfusion, infusion, intravenous infusion, catheter, feeding tube; prevention, preventative medicine, immunization, inoculation, vaccination, vaccine, shot, booster, gamma globulin.    pharmacy, pharmacology, pharmaceutics; pharmacopoeia, formulary; acology^†, Materia Medica [Lat.], therapeutics, posology^†; homeopathy, allopathy^†, heteropathy [Med.], osteopathy, hydropathy [Med.]; cold water cure; dietetics; surgery, chirurgery [Med.], chirurgy^†; healing art, leechcraft^†; orthopedics, orthopedy^†, orthopraxy^†; pediatrics; dentistry, midwifery, obstetrics, gynecology; tocology^†; sarcology^†.    hospital, infirmary; pesthouse^†, lazarhouse^†; lazaretto; lock hospital; maison de sante [Fr.]; ambulance.    dispensary; dispensatory^†, drug store, pharmacy, apothecary, druggist, chemist.    Hotel des Invalides; sanatorium, spa, pump room, well; hospice; Red Cross.    doctor, physician, surgeon; medical practitioner, general practitioner, specialist; medical attendant, apothecary, druggist; leech; osteopath, osteopathist^†; optometrist, ophthalmologist; internist, oncologist, gastroenterologist; epidemiologist [Med.], public health specialist; dermatologist; podiatrist; witch doctor, shaman, faith healer, quack, exorcist; Aesculapius^†, Hippocrates, Galen; accoucheur [Fr.], accoucheuse [Fr.], midwife, oculist, aurist^†; operator; nurse, registered nurse, practical nurse, monthly nurse, sister; nurse's aide, candystriper; dresser; bonesetter; pharmaceutist^†, pharmacist, druggist, chemist, pharmacopolist^†.    ... show more

Roget 174: moderation, lenity etc. 740; temperateness, gentleness etc. adj.; sobriety; quiet; mental calmness etc. (inexcitability) 826^†.    moderating etc. v.; anaphrodisia^†; relaxation, remission, mitigation, tranquilization^†, assuagement, contemporation^†, pacification.    measure, juste milieu [Fr.], golden mean, ariston metron [Gr.].    moderator; lullaby, sedative, lenitive, demulcent, antispasmodic, carminative, laudanum; rose water, balm, poppy, opiate, anodyne, milk, opium, poppy or mandragora;" wet blanket; palliative.    ... show more

Dutch: sedatief, kalmeringsmiddel, kalmerend middel
Polish: depresant

Tending to soothe or tranquilize:
— Took a hot drink with sedative properties before going to bed.

synonyms: ataractic, ataraxic, tranquilising, tranquilizing, tranquillising, tranquillizing.

Roget 174: moderate; lenient etc. 740; gentle, mild, mellow; cool, sober, temperate, reasonable, measured; tempered etc. v.; calm, unruffled, quiet, tranquil, still; slow, smooth, untroubled; tame; peaceful, peaceable; pacific, halcyon.    unexciting, unirritating^†; soft, bland, oily, demulcent, lenitive, anodyne; hypnotic etc. 683; sedative; antiorgastic^†, anaphrodisiac^†.    mild as mother's milk; milk and water.    ... show more

Roget 683: inactive; motionless etc. 265; unoccupied etc. (doing nothing) 681; unbusied^†.    indolent, lazy, slothful, idle, lusk^†, remiss, slack, inert, torpid, sluggish, otiose, languid, supine, heavy, dull, leaden, lumpish^†; exanimate^†, soulless; listless; drony^†, dronish^†; lazy as Ludlam's dog.    dilatory, laggard; lagging etc. v.; slow etc. 275; rusty, flagging; lackadaisical, maudlin, fiddle-faddle; pottering etc. v.; shilly-shally etc. (irresolute) 605.    sleeping, etc. v.; asleep; fast asleep, dead asleep, sound asleep; in a sound sleep; sound as a top, dormant, comatose; in the arms of Morpheus, in the lap of Morpheus.    sleepy, sleepful^†; dozy^†, drowsy, somnolent, torpescent^†, lethargic, lethargical^†; somnifacient^†; statuvolent^†, statuvolic^†; heavy, heavy with sleep; napping; somnific^†, somniferous; soporous^†, soporific, soporiferous^†; hypnotic; balmy, dreamy; unawakened, unawakened.    sedative etc. 174.    ... show more

Roget 662: remedial; restorative etc. 660; corrective, palliative, healing; sanatory^†, sanative; prophylactic, preventative, immunizing; salutiferous etc. (salutary) 656^†; medical, medicinal; therapeutic, chirurgical [Med.], epulotic^†, paregoric, tonic, corroborant, analeptic^†, balsamic, anodyne, hypnotic, neurotic, narcotic, sedative, lenitive, demulcent^†, emollient; depuratory^†; detersive^†, detergent; abstersive^†, disinfectant, febrifugal^†, alterative; traumatic, vulnerary.    allopathic^†, heteropathic^†, homeopathic, hydropathic [Med.]; anthelmintic [Med.]; antifebrile [Med.], antiluetic^†; aperient^†, chalybeate^†, deobstruent^†, depurative^†, laxative, roborant^†.    dietetic, alimentary; nutritious, nutritive; peptic; alexipharmic^†, alexiteric^†; remediable, curable.    ... show more