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

Is this lucid state only temporary based on the recent anti-psychotic meds he was given by Kelson? —Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 20 Jan. 2026

The peak of a psychedelic experience can therefore share similarities with psychosis; and, for people with undiagnosed underlying conditions, this can increase the severity of manic and psychotic symptoms, as the findings of a recent paper concluded. —Mattha Busby, Rolling Stone, 16 Jan. 2026

There’s a sweetness to the comfort of childhood touchstones and shared history in a world gone psychotic with death and destruction. —Katie Walsh, Dallas Morning News, 16 Jan. 2026

There’s a sweetness to the comfort of childhood touchstones and shared history in a world gone psychotic with death and destruction. —Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 15 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1890, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for psychotic

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

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