anxiolytic: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Technical/Medical/Academic
Quick answer
What does “anxiolytic” mean?
A drug or substance that reduces anxiety.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A drug or substance that reduces anxiety.
Pertaining to or having the effect of relieving anxiety; can refer to the drug itself or its anxiety-reducing property.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Spelling and pronunciation are consistent.
Connotations
Neutral clinical/medical term in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in professional medical/psychiatric contexts in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “anxiolytic” in a Sentence
The doctor prescribed (patient) an anxiolytic.(Substance) has anxiolytic effects.It is used as an anxiolytic.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “anxiolytic” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [No standard verb form. Periphrastic: 'The medication works to anxiolyse.']
American English
- [No standard verb form. Periphrastic: 'The drug functions to anxiolyze.']
adverb
British English
- [No standard adverb form. Periphrastic: 'The drug acted in an anxiolytic manner.']
American English
- [No standard adverb form. Periphrastic: 'The treatment functioned anxiolytically.' (rare/technical)]
adjective
British English
- The herbal tea is thought to have mild anxiolytic properties.
- They observed an anxiolytic response in the subjects.
American English
- The doctor noted its anxiolytic effect on the patient.
- Research focuses on finding new anxiolytic compounds.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in pharmaceutical industry reports.
Academic
Common in psychology, psychiatry, pharmacology, and neuroscience literature.
Everyday
Very rare; a layperson would say 'anxiety medication'.
Technical
Standard term in medical diagnosis, treatment plans, and drug classifications.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “anxiolytic”
- Mispronouncing as /ænˈzɪəlɪtɪk/. Stress is on the third syllable: '-lit-'.
- Using it as a general term for any psychiatric drug.
- Spelling error: 'anxiolitic' (missing the 'o').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While some antidepressants have anxiolytic effects, anxiolytics are a specific class of drugs primarily for reducing anxiety. Antidepressants primarily target depressive symptoms.
It is very technical. In everyday talk, people say 'anxiety medication', 'nerve pills', or 'tranquillisers'.
Benzodiazepines (e.g., diazepam/Valium) are classic, common anxiolytics, though their use is now more cautious due to risks of dependence.
The primary stress is on the third syllable: '-lit-'. Pronounced /ˌæŋk.si.əˈlɪt.ɪk/.
A drug or substance that reduces anxiety.
Anxiolytic is usually technical/medical/academic in register.
Anxiolytic: in British English it is pronounced /ˌaŋksɪə(ʊ)ˈlɪtɪk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌæŋksiəˈlɪtɪk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms for this technical term]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'ANXIety' + 'LYTic' (breaking down, as in 'analytic'). An anxiolytic breaks down anxiety.
Conceptual Metaphor
ANXIETY IS A BURDEN/PRESSURE; AN ANXIOLYTIC IS A RELIEVER/RELEASER.
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'anxiolytic' most precisely used?