1. substances that induce sleep; sleep-inducing drugs or agents
Usage: medical; formal; plural form

Examples

• The doctor prescribed somnifacients to help with her chronic insomnia.
• Natural somnifacients like chamomile tea are often preferred over synthetic drugs.
• The pharmacy stocks various somnifacients for patients with sleep disorders.
• Some somnifacients can cause dependency if used long-term.
• The study compared the effectiveness of different somnifacients.
• Herbal somnifacients have been used for centuries in traditional medicine.