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antianxiety drug

antianxiety drug

3.5
A drug that reduces anxiety and makes you feel calmer
  • noun
  • /ˌæn.ti.ənˈzaɪ.ə.ti drʌg/
  • Specialized
translation icon : fármaco ansiolítico
  • Many doctors prescribe antianxiety drugs to help patients manage their stress levels.

Examples

  • The antianxiety drug worked well to calm his nerves before the big presentation.

  • He found that taking an antianxiety drug significantly improved his daily functioning.

  • Some antianxiety drugs can cause drowsiness as a side effect.

  • The doctor prescribed an antianxiety drug to help her cope with stress.

  • She was prescribed an antianxiety drug to help with her stress.

  • Many people find antianxiety drugs helpful during stressful situations.

  • She found relief from her anxiety after starting a regimen that included an antianxiety drug.

Synonyms

anxiolytic
vsantianxiety drug
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A medicine that makes you feel less anxious and tense

is the plain descriptive name rather than a medical label
antianxiety
vsantianxiety drug
  • Specialized
1 4.2

A drug or treatment that makes someone feel less worried

refers specifically to a drug used to relieve anxiety and reduce tension
anxiolytic drug
vsantianxiety drug
  • Specialized
5.8

A drug that reduces worry and calms tension

is the general descriptive term rather than a medical name
antianxiety agent
vsantianxiety drug
  • Specialized
4.6

A medicine that reduces stress without making you feel confused

does not guarantee preserved mental clarity
ataractic agent
vsantianxiety drug
  • Specialized
9.9

A drug that reduces stress without making you sleepy or unable to think clearly

does not state that mental clarity is kept
ataractic drug
vsantianxiety drug
  • Specialized
8.8

A drug that reduces anxiety without making you sleepy or confused

allows anxiety relief but may not avoid mental dullness
minor tranquilizer
vsantianxiety drug
  • Archaic
6.4

A medicine that makes worry and stress less without making you very sleepy

may relieve anxiety but does not focus on sedation level
minor tranquilliser
vsantianxiety drug
  • Archaic
6.3

A mild medicine that reduces anxiety and tension

aims to relieve anxiety without specifying lower potency

How Calming

anesthetic
  • Specialized
1 5.7
hypnotic
  • Specialized
1 7.1
sedative
  • Specialized
76 5.4
tranquilizer
  • Specialized
52 6.1
antianxiety drug
  • Specialized
3.5
calmative
  • Specialized
1 8.7

Surface Forms

Morphology

antianxiety + drug

The meaning 'a drug that reduces or prevents anxiety' is directly and compositionally derived from the adjective 'antianxiety' (reducing anxiety) combined with 'drug' (a medicine). The anti- prefix and noun+modifier compounding is productive and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the parts can readily infer the overall sense.

Etymology

Antianxiety drug combines anti (meaning 'against') and anxiety (strong worry). Picture the medicine as a small shield that fights or calms worry, so the name means a drug that helps 'reduce anxiety' and makes people feel calmer.