noun
- Plural of fentanyl; synthetic opioid drugs used for pain relief and anesthesia, or illicit versions of these drugs.
Usage: Medical/pharmaceutical context: prescribed opioid medications; Public health context: often refers to illicit fentanyl and its analogs involved in overdose crises
Examples
- Fentanyls are potent opioids used in hospitals for severe pain management.
- The opioid crisis has been exacerbated by the proliferation of illicit fentanyls.
- Doctors carefully monitor patients receiving fentanyls due to their strength.
- Law enforcement agencies have increased efforts to intercept illegal fentanyls at the border.
- Fentanyls are sometimes mixed into other street drugs without users' knowledge.