psychedelic

1 of 2

noun

psy·che·del·ic ˌsī-kə-ˈde-lik

: a psychedelic drug (such as LSD)

psychedelic

2 of 2

adjective

: of, relating to, or being drugs (such as LSD) capable of producing abnormal psychic effects (such as hallucinations) and sometimes psychotic states

: produced by or associated with the use of psychedelic drugs

a psychedelic experience

: imitating, suggestive of, or reproducing effects (such as distorted or bizarre images or sounds) resembling those produced by psychedelic drugs

psychedelic color schemes

: of, relating to, characteristic of, or being the period of the mid- to late-1960's that is associated with the psychedelic drug culture

psychedelic rock

the psychedelic era/movement

… the "rainbow newspaper" of San Francisco that burst onto the psychedelic scene in 1966 …—

Don Lattin

… speaking of stereotypes, the illustrations reject any hint of a '60s psychedelic style …—

Steven Heller

psychedelically

ˌsī-kə-ˈde-li-k(ə-)lē

adverb

Did you know?

The most famous--or notorious--of the psychedelic drugs is LSD, a compound that can be obtained from various mushrooms and other fungi but is usually created in the lab. The other well-known psychedelics are psilocybin (likewise obtained from fungi) and mescaline (obtained from peyote cactus). How psychedelics produce their effects is still fairly mysterious, partly because research ceased for almost 20 years because of their reputation, but scientists are determined to find the answers and much research is now under way. Psychedelics are now used to treat anxiety in patients with cancer, and are being tested in the treatment of such serious conditions as severe depression, alcoholism, and drug addiction.

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

This is one of the reasons Perry has devoted years to supporting veterans and bipartisan legislation for psychedelic therapy for veterans. —

Chloe Melas, CNN, 2 May 2023 Now, Lockery is studying how psychedelics impact worms’ behaviors. —

Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 21 Apr. 2023 Indigenous cultures around the world have been using magic mushrooms and other psychedelics for thousands of years for emotional, physical, and spiritual healing. —

ELLE, 13 Apr. 2023 The image was created by a 31-year-old construction worker from the Chicago area who, after taking psychedelics, decided to create the images on Midjourney, a popular AI image generator, according to Buzzfeed News. —

Chris Mueller, USA TODAY, 11 Apr. 2023 Does anyone remember when automotive marketers decided to combine Edgar Burrows’ science fiction and William Burroughs' psychedelic enhancers to advertise a milquetoast Chevrolet sedan? —

Jonathon Ramsey, Car and Driver, 8 Apr. 2023 Last week’s episode saw Lucy, along with several of her colleagues, decide to indulge in some psychedelic mushrooms while on the clock. —

Coralie Kraft, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2023 Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, the University of California, Berkeley, and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, among others, have opened centers devoted to studying psychedelics for mental health. —

Greg Mayes, STAT, 13 Mar. 2023 As they’re glued to their screens, a psychedelic, 1960s inspired tune emanates from their TV sets. —

Washington Post, 10 Apr. 2021

Adjective

After meeting Gilberto Gil, they were soon looped into the budding Tropicália movement, which blended British and American pop rock and psychedelic rock with Brazilian and African influences. —

Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 9 May 2023 Some showed up in bold, retro pieces, such as eye-catching psychedelic bell bottoms, while others blended street wear with vintage sensibilities. —

Jonah Valdez, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2023 Shockingly, this derivative of the cannabis family is high in protein, with none of the psychedelic effects. —

Cori Ritchey, Men's Health, 31 Mar. 2023 What Is Peyote? Huxley’s account of his experience, 1954’s The Doors of Perception, popularized psychedelic experimentation in general and the peyote cactus in particular. —

Matt Hrodey, Discover Magazine, 23 Mar. 2023 Fictional band Utopia Avenue emerges from London's psychedelic scene in the late 60s. —

Town & Country, 18 Mar. 2023 For a psychedelic rock project that plays like one long song, the visual aids not only help attendees embrace the bizarre, but also function as a road map for Yachty’s far-out trip, signaling that there is, in fact, a tracklist. —

Lyndsey Havens, Billboard, 8 Mar. 2023 The groundbreaking decision makes Australia the first country in the world to offer such psychedelic therapies to the public at large, for anyone diagnosed with those life-threatening conditions. —

David E. Carpenter, Forbes, 6 Feb. 2023 Ngo isn’t alone in her journey from the rolling virtual hills of Minecraft to producing IRL objects in full psychedelic color. —

Helena Madden, ELLE Decor, 1 Feb. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'psychedelic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.