ISEE/SSAT Vocabulary BuilderWordsAanodyne
ISEE/SSAThard
anodyne
Meaning: soothing or blandly inoffensive
anodyne in a sentence
How anodyne is used in real sentences:
The mayor gave an anodyne speech that avoided every disputed issue.
The article's anodyne conclusion pleased readers who disliked controversy.
“An anodyne status note might have hidden the setback, but her report documented the failure and traced it to uneven heating near a mounting bolt.”
— from the passage The Returning Hinge
“A museum curator had promised an exhibition, although his anodyne letters praised the press without committing funds or even a date.”
— from the passage The Final Impression
“Both understood that an anodyne exchange of compliments could open the chamber, but bland courtesy alone would not settle control of cities, ransoms, and dynastic claims.”
— from the passage The Negotiators of Cambrai
Synonyms for anodyne
Other words for anodyne — soothing, bland and inoffensive — carry the same meaning.
- soothing
- bland
- inoffensive
Antonyms of anodyne
Words that mean the opposite of anodyne:
- provocative
- irritating
- jarring
Where it comes from
From Greek anodynos, meaning 'free from pain.'
Word parts
- a/an — without/lack of
anodyne: an- (without) + odyne (pain)
Memory hook
ANODYNE sounds like 'no pain': an anodyne comment soothes and avoids trouble.