cocaine
34 synonyms and 0 antonyms for cocaine, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A powerful, addictive stimulant drug extracted from the coca plant, used illegally as a recreational drug and occasionally in medicine as a local anaesthetic.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use cocaine
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
Formed from "coca" plus the chemical suffix "-ine"; first used in this sense around 1874.
Full origin of cocaine →Frequently asked questions
What does “cocaine” mean?
The word “cocaine” means a powerful, addictive stimulant drug extracted from the coca plant, used illegally as a recreational drug and occasionally in medicine as a local anaesthetic. In plain terms, an illegal stimulant drug made from coca leaves.
How do you pronounce “cocaine”?
“Cocaine” is pronounced kuh-KAYN (/koʊˈkeɪn/ in IPA).
How do you use “cocaine” in a sentence?
Here is “cocaine” used in a sentence: “Cocaine use can cause a dangerously fast heart rate.”
What is another word for “cocaine”?
Words with a similar meaning to “cocaine” include benzoylmethylecgonine, blow, Bolivian marching powder, booger sugar, boots and California corn flakes.
What part of speech is “cocaine”?
“Cocaine” is a noun.
Where does the word “cocaine” come from?
The word “cocaine” dates back to around 1874. Formed from "coca" plus the chemical suffix "-ine"; first used in this sense around 1874.
Is “cocaine” a common word?
“Cocaine” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between cocaine and crack?
Cocaine is a powerful, addictive stimulant drug extracted from the coca plant, usually encountered as a powder. Crack is a hardened, smokable form processed from powdered cocaine, and smoking it delivers the drug's effects more rapidly and intensely.
Is cocaine ever used legally in medicine?
Yes, in very limited settings. Cocaine is occasionally used in medicine as a local anaesthetic, for example in certain ear, nose, and throat procedures, but recreational possession and use remain illegal in most countries.
What is the difference between coca and cocoa?
Coca is the South American plant from whose leaves cocaine is extracted. Cocoa is the powder made from cacao beans and is the basis of chocolate; despite their similar spellings, the two words refer to entirely different plants.
Is coke a formal word for cocaine?
No. Coke, along with blow and charlie, is informal slang for cocaine and belongs to casual speech. Medical, legal, and news writing uses the standard term cocaine.