noun
painkiller
PAYN-kih-luh
Painkiller (noun) means a medicine used to relieve pain. Example: “She took a painkiller for her headache.”
noun
1
A medicine used to relieve pain.
"She took a painkiller for her headache."
"The doctor prescribed a strong painkiller after the surgery."
How to use painkiller
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA drug, like paracetamol or ibuprofen, taken to reduce or stop pain.
Common pairings
take a painkiller
strong painkillers
over-the-counter painkillers
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like painkiller.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- painkillers
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She took a _____ for her headache.
Etymology
A straightforward compound of pain and killer, describing exactly what it does.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for painkiller
See all rhymes for painkiller →Frequently asked questions
What does “painkiller” mean?
The word “painkiller” means a medicine used to relieve pain. In plain terms, a drug, like paracetamol or ibuprofen, taken to reduce or stop pain.
How do you pronounce “painkiller”?
“Painkiller” is pronounced PAYN-kih-luh (/ˈpeɪnˌkɪlə(ɹ)/ in IPA).
How do you use “painkiller” in a sentence?
Here is “painkiller” used in a sentence: “She took a painkiller for her headache.”
What part of speech is “painkiller”?
“Painkiller” is a noun.
