1. Plural of chloral; chemical compounds derived from chloral, especially chloral hydrate, used as sedatives or hypnotics in medicine.
Usage: technical/medical; often used in pharmaceutical contexts

Examples

• The laboratory synthesized several chlorals for testing their sedative properties.
• Chlorals were commonly prescribed in the 19th and early 20th centuries as sleep aids.
• Modern pharmaceutical research has largely replaced older chlorals with safer alternatives.
• The chemist studied the molecular structure of different chlorals under the microscope.
• Chlorals remain in some medical formulations, though their use has declined significantly.