sleeping pill

noun

1. a pill or capsule containing a drug for inducing sleep.

sleeping pill

noun

1. a pill or tablet containing a sedative drug, such as a barbiturate, used to induce sleep

Word History and Origins

Origin of sleeping pill¹

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

I suppose I could have avoided those moonlight bathroom trips with a sleeping pill, but that would have only masked the bigger problem: I wanted to quit drinking and couldn’t.

From Los Angeles Times

Defense Department report finds Texas Rep. Ronny Jackson made sexual comments, drank alcohol and took sleeping pills on duty as White House doctor.

From Los Angeles Times

GPs can also offer medication, mainly sleeping pills zopiclone and zolpidem, but these are not recommended for use for more than four weeks due how quickly they become ineffective and the chances of forming dependency.

From BBC

Instead, doctors treated individual symptoms, prescribing headache medicine, antidepressants and sleeping pills.

From New York Times

To help him cope, he had sleeping pills and some Xanax for anxiety, Leyba said.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• sedative