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
Synonyms of psychotic
Examples of psychotic in a Sentence
He was diagnosed as psychotic.
a psychotic patient who was recently admitted
Recent Examples on the Web
Netflix’s bracingly nasty action-thriller Apex is a fine addition, plonking the star down in a rugged Australian landscape and throwing nature’s formidable might at her while stirring a psychotic serial killer into the mix.
—
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 23 Apr. 2026
The risk of a psychotic disorder rose fourfold when highly potent weed was used daily, the study found.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2026
Clinicians and researchers have documented cases of people developing psychotic symptoms after extended chatbot use — for instance, believing that the AI is sentient or personally connected to them.
—Marc Augustin, STAT, 16 Apr. 2026
Around his college years, Fahim was also involuntarily hospitalized for the first — but not last — time, diagnosed with schizophrenia, and began taking an anti-psychotic medication.
—Sean Emery, Oc Register, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for psychotic
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David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 23 Apr. 2026
The risk of a psychotic disorder rose fourfold when highly potent weed was used daily, the study found.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2026
Clinicians and researchers have documented cases of people developing psychotic symptoms after extended chatbot use — for instance, believing that the AI is sentient or personally connected to them.
—Marc Augustin, STAT, 16 Apr. 2026
Around his college years, Fahim was also involuntarily hospitalized for the first — but not last — time, diagnosed with schizophrenia, and began taking an anti-psychotic medication.
—Sean Emery, Oc Register, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for psychotic
Cite this Entry
“Psychotic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/psychotic. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
psychotic
1 of 2 adjective
psy·chot·ic
sī-ˈkät-ik
: of, relating to, marked by, or affected with psychosis
psychotic
2 of 2 noun
: a psychotic individual
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