What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
sedation
Example
The dentist administered sedation to help the patient relax during the procedure. [sedation: noun]
Example
The patient felt sedated after taking the prescribed medication. [sedated: adjective]
tranquillization
Example
The zookeeper used tranquillization to calm down the agitated elephant. [tranquillization: noun]
Example
The patient reported feeling tranquilized after taking the prescribed medication. [tranquilized: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Sedation is more commonly used than tranquillization in medical contexts, especially in dentistry and surgery. Tranquillization is more commonly used in veterinary medicine and psychiatry.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between sedation and tranquillization?
Sedation is a more formal term than tranquillization, which is more commonly used in informal contexts.