as in dependence
a physiological need for certain drugs
an addiction to heroin
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Recent Examples of addiction
He was also sentenced to 99 days in jail and three years’ probation, which included seeking mental health treatments for a gambling addiction.
—
Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2026
The pair also speak candidly about food addiction in the documentary.
—Lizzie Hyman, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
The last comprehensive study on the prevalence of gambling addiction in Nevada was carried out twenty-six years ago.
—Jasper Craven, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
First and foremost, talk to your kids about pornography and the addiction to adult content.
—Beth Collums, AJC.com, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for addiction
Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2026
The pair also speak candidly about food addiction in the documentary.
—Lizzie Hyman, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
The last comprehensive study on the prevalence of gambling addiction in Nevada was carried out twenty-six years ago.
—Jasper Craven, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
First and foremost, talk to your kids about pornography and the addiction to adult content.
—Beth Collums, AJC.com, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for addiction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for addiction
dependence
Noun
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Together, these systems are intended to help farmers reduce dependence on manual labor and chemical herbicides while maintaining or improving crop yields.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Feb. 2026
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Trump administration announces plans for critical minerals stockpile The US government is developing a $12 billion critical minerals stockpile in its quest to bolster its domestic supply chain and reduce dependence on China.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Addiction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/addiction. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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