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heroin
noun
her·o·in
ˈher-ə-wən
ˈhe-rə-
: a strongly physiologically addictive narcotic C21H23NO5 that is made by acetylation of but is more potent than morphine and that is prohibited for medical use in the U.S. but is used illicitly for its euphoric effects
Examples of heroin in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Avery and Navarro respected each other’s musical abilities, and the things that bonded them during Jane’s remained points of connection: books, music, cinema, visual art, and now, in place of heroin, an embrace of sobriety.
—Aaron Gilbreath, SPIN, 31 Dec. 2024
The powerful synthetic opioid, which carries 50 times the potency of heroin, has spread widely in the last decade.
—Dan Sullivan, Orlando Sentinel, 26 Dec. 2024
Tequila and heroin can only dull the pain for so long before Lee’s desperate yearning for something more cuts through the haze and sends him back out into dingy bars and narrow alleys, prowling with a predatory lust for men.
—David Opie, IndieWire, 7 Dec. 2024
As Burroughs’s alter ego, a blundering heroin addict pining after a younger man, the actor manages to be uncool onscreen for the first time ever.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 30 Nov. 2024
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Word History
Etymology
from Heroin, a trademark
First Known Use
1898, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near heroin
Cite this Entry
“Heroin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heroin. Accessed 9 Jan. 2025.
Kids Definition
heroin
noun
her·o·in
ˈher-ə-wən
: a strongly addictive drug made from the opium poppy and stronger than morphine
Medical Definition
heroin
noun
her·o·in
ˈher-ə-wən
: a strongly physiologically addictive narcotic C21H23NO5 that is made by acetylation of but is more potent than morphine and that is prohibited for medical use in the United States but is used illicitly for its euphoric effects
called also acetomorphine, diacetylmorphine, diamorphine
More from Merriam-Webster on heroin
Nglish: Translation of heroin for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of heroin for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about heroin
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