Word
methadone
US/ˈmɛθəˌdoʊn/
UK/mˈɛθɐdˌəʊn/
Definition
n. a strong medicine used to help people stop using other drugs like heroin. It is usually taken as a liquid or a pill and helps reduce the pain and withdrawal symptoms.
n. a synthetic opioid used primarily for the management of severe pain and as a maintenance therapy for opioid addiction. It is typically administered orally or via injection to mitigate withdrawal symptoms and cravings.
Examples
“The doctor prescribed methadone to help him quit heroin.”
“As part of a supervised detox program, patients receive methadone to manage withdrawal symptoms while their bodies adjust to being free of other opioids.”
“While methadone is highly effective in stabilizing patients during recovery, its long half-life necessitates careful dosing to prevent accidental overdose, especially when combined with other central nervous system depressants.”
Examples
simple
“The doctor prescribed methadone to help him quit heroin.”
contextual
“As part of a supervised detox program, patients receive methadone to manage withdrawal symptoms while their bodies adjust to being free of other opioids.”
complex
“While methadone is highly effective in stabilizing patients during recovery, its long half-life necessitates careful dosing to prevent accidental overdose, especially when combined with other central nervous system depressants.”
Real-World Examples
“Some said heroin made them crave sugar, while others described developing a dry mouth when using crack cocaine or methadone.” Etymology
From (di)meth(yl)a(mino) + d(iphenyl) + (heptan)one.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/methadone