noun
tranquilizer
TRANGK-wihl-ih-zuh
noun
1
A drug used to calm anxiety, tension, or agitation.
"The doctor prescribed a mild tranquilizer to help her sleep."
2
A gun that fires sedative darts, used especially on animals.
"The vet used a tranquilizer to safely approach the injured bear."
How to Use Tranquilizer
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA drug (or dart gun) used to calm someone or something down.
UK vs US
American spelling "tranquilizer"; British English typically spells it "tranquillizer."
Common pairings
tranquilizer dart
take a tranquilizer
tranquilizer gun
Word Forms
tranquilizers plural
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “tranquilizer”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The doctor prescribed a mild _____ to help her sleep.
Etymology
From tranquilize + -er.