Meaning & use
endorphin
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Meaning
nouncountablebiology
A chemical made by the brain and nervous system that reduces pain and can create feelings of pleasure or calm.
Grammar: Often plural: endorphins are released; a single type can be called an endorphin.
Patterns
- release endorphins
- a rush of endorphins
Exercise causes the body to release endorphins, which can lift your mood.
Laughing with friends triggers endorphins and eases stress.
Some runners say the endorphins make the last mile feel easier.
Word forms
| plural | endorphins |
|---|
Common combinations
- release endorphins
- A good workout helps your brain release endorphins.
- a rush of endorphins
- After the race she felt a rush of endorphins.
- endorphin level
- Hard exercise raises your endorphin level.
- endorphin high
- Long-distance runners sometimes describe an endorphin high.
- trigger endorphins
- Spicy food can trigger endorphins in some people.
Synonyms and how they differ
- painkiller
- A painkiller is any medicine or substance that reduces pain, while an endorphin is one the body makes itself.
- hormone
- Hormone is a much wider word for body chemicals that carry signals, and endorphins are only one narrow group.
- neurotransmitter
- Neurotransmitter is the broader scientific class of chemical messengers between nerve cells, and endorphins can act as one.
Word family
- endorphins noun
- plural form, the usual way the word appears
- endogenous adjective
- made inside the body
- morphine noun
- a strong painkilling drug whose name contributes to the word
- endocrine adjective
- relating to glands that release hormones
Commonly confused: endorphin or dopamine? endorphin or adrenaline?
endorphin vs dopamine
Dopamine is a different brain chemical linked to motivation and reward, while endorphins mostly relate to pain relief and well-being.
endorphin vs adrenaline
Adrenaline prepares the body for action and raises the heart rate, whereas endorphins ease pain and lift mood.
Practice
Many people feel happier after a run because exercise releases ___ in the brain.
Choose one answer.
Endorphins are natural chemicals linked to pain relief and improved mood. Adrenaline is a tempting wrong option, but it is linked to alertness and stress rather than the happy feeling.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “endorphin”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.