1 oxycodone | Definition of oxycodone

oxycodone

noun
oxy·​co·​done | \ ˌÀk-sē-ˈkō-ˌdōn How to pronounce oxycodone (audio) \

Definition of oxycodone

: a narcotic analgesic C18H21NO4 used especially in the form of its hydrochloride

Examples of oxycodone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The research leads to a bleak conclusion: Fentanyl is worse than crack in the 1980s, meth in the early aughts, and more damaging than heroin and oxycodone in the 2010s. Matt Mccarthy, USA TODAY, "Ben Westhoff's 'Fentanyl, Inc.' confronts horrible truths about America's opioid epidemic," 2 Sep. 2019 In 2017, Mallinckrodt paid $35 million to the U.S. Justice Department to settle claims involving oxycodone. John Caniglia, cleveland.com, "‘Unfathomable’: How 1.6 million pills from a small-town doctor helped fuel the opioid crisis in Ohio," 1 Sep. 2019 Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs died from a toxic mix of the powerful painkillers fentanyl and oxycodone along with alcohol in an accidental overdose, a medical examiner in Texas said in a report released Friday. Schuyler Dixon, baltimoresun.com, "Coroner says Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs died from overdose," 30 Aug. 2019 But teenagers and others in town quickly discovered that crushing an OxyContin pill released large quantities of the narcotic oxycodone. Barry Meier, New York Times, "A Nun, a Doctor and a Lawyer — and Deep Regret Over the Nation’s Handling of Opioids," 18 Aug. 2019 The drugstore filled enough hydrocodone and oxycodone prescriptions for every resident to take a pill every nine-and-a-half days, or 38 pills per person per year, according to the federal data. oregonlive.com, "Oregon pharmacists sold millions of opioid pills, say they felt powerless to say no," 16 Aug. 2019 Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that can be 50 to 100 times more powerful than other opioids like morphine, heroin and oxycodone, according to Lindsay LaSalle, senior staff attorney for the nonprofit Drug Policy Alliance. Eric Levenson, CNN, "Six prison staffers hospitalized for possible fentanyl exposure in Connecticut," 30 July 2019 The Times cites a particular incident in which one Walgreens employee flagged in a 2011 email a 3,271-bottle order of oxycodone that shipped to a Florida town of 2,831, now turned over as state’s evidence, with no discernible effect. Stephie Grob Plante, Vox, "Walmart and CVS are among the retailers being sued for aiding the spread of opioids," 23 July 2019 The California lawsuit alleges that as early as February 1997, Purdue and Sackler — a billionaire who hails from one of the nation’s philanthropic dynasties — knew that people were abusing oxycodone-containing drugs. Patrick Mcgreevy, latimes.com, "California joins opioid fight, sues Purdue Pharma over marketing of OxyContin," 3 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'oxycodone.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of oxycodone

1963, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for oxycodone

oxy + codeine + -one

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More Definitions for oxycodone

oxycodone

noun
oxy·​co·​done | \ -ˈkō-ˌdōn How to pronounce oxycodone (audio) \

Medical Definition of oxycodone

: a narcotic analgesic C18H21NO4 used especially in the form of its hydrochloride C18H21NO4·HCl to relieve moderate to severe pain

Note: Oxycodone is marketed under the trademarks OxyContin, Percocet, and Percodan.