addictive
adjective
ad·dic·tive
ə-ˈdik-tiv 
a-
: causing or characterized by addiction
an addictive drug
an addictive personality
Examples of addictive in a Sentence
highly addictive drugs like crack and heroin
the addictive thrill of surfing
Recent Examples on the Web
Vaping exposes users to nicotine, which is an addictive substance, and a range of potentially harmful substances.
—
Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 28 May 2026
The company is facing similar lawsuits from states across the country, accusing it of knowingly designing addictive features.
—Lindsay Whitehurst, Fortune, 27 May 2026
The research is increasingly clear that social media is intentionally designed to be addictive, and that excessive use of social media has negative mental health impacts, especially on teenage girls.
—Mercury News Editorial Board, Mercury News, 27 May 2026
The iPhone and social media have created powerful addictive products that degrade their customers’ attention spans and in-person social attachments.
—Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for addictive
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Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 28 May 2026
The company is facing similar lawsuits from states across the country, accusing it of knowingly designing addictive features.
—Lindsay Whitehurst, Fortune, 27 May 2026
The research is increasingly clear that social media is intentionally designed to be addictive, and that excessive use of social media has negative mental health impacts, especially on teenage girls.
—Mercury News Editorial Board, Mercury News, 27 May 2026
The iPhone and social media have created powerful addictive products that degrade their customers’ attention spans and in-person social attachments.
—Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for addictive
Cite this Entry
“Addictive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/addictive. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
addictive
adjective
ad·dic·tive
ə-ˈdik-tiv
a-
: causing or characterized by addiction
an addictive drug
an addictive game
Medical Definition
addictive
adjective
ad·dic·tive
ə-ˈdik-tiv
: causing or characterized by addiction
addictive drugs
Legal Definition
addictive
adjective
ad·dic·tive
ə-ˈdik-tiv
: causing or characterized by addiction
addictive drugs
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