psychotic

adjective

psy·​chot·​ic sī-ˈkä-tik 

1

medical : of, relating to, marked by, or affected with psychosis

a psychotic patient

psychotic behavior

2

sometimes offensive : exhibiting or suggestive of mental or emotional unsoundness or instability

—not used technically

Note: The nontechnical use of psychotic is increasingly viewed as a trivialization of mental illness.

psychotic noun

plural psychotics

psychotically

sī-ˈkä-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms of psychotic

• insane
• maniacal
• mad
• mental
• psycho
• crazy
• demented
• nuts
• crazed
• disturbed

Examples of psychotic in a Sentence

He was diagnosed as psychotic.

a psychotic patient who was recently admitted

Recent Examples on the Web

Kratom can produce either stimulating or sedating effects, depending on the dosage taken, and can produce psychotic symptoms, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. — Phil Helsel, NBC news, 22 Sep. 2026

After she was sent back to Los Angeles, Leigh suffered a psychotic break. — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 21 Sep. 2026

These confessions were made before he was declared psychotic and after he was cleared by doctors. — Jen Guadarrama, IndyStar, 21 Sep. 2026

Both women’s attorneys have claimed their clients suffered from psychotic episodes. — Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1890, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for psychotic

• aprotic
• aquatic
• biotic
• chaotic
• cirrhotic
• demotic
• despotic
• dichotic
• erotic
• euphotic
• exotic
• fibrotic

Kids Definition

psychotic

1 of 2 adjective

psy·​chot·​ic

sī-ˈkät-ik

: of, relating to, or marked by psychosis

psychotic

2 of 2 noun

: a psychotic person

Medical Definition

psychotic

1 of 2 adjective

psy·​chot·​ic sī-ˈkät-ik 

: of, relating to, marked by, or affected with psychosis

psychotically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

psychotic

2 of 2 noun

: a psychotic individual