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
Anecdotally, schools with bell-to-bell bans report livelier lunchtime conversations, and some research suggests that time and distance are critical for counteracting phones’ addictive tendencies.
—
Theo Peck-Suzuki, Hartford Courant, 9 Mar. 2026
Absolutely addictive, especially with the garlic aioli.
—Laura Ness, Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2026
Outreach workers and public health officials say the highly addictive synthetic opioid has devastated many people living on the streets nearby.
—Teresa Liu, Daily News, 6 Mar. 2026
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) does not classify social media use as an addictive disorder.
—Carolina Rossini, The Conversation, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for addictive
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Theo Peck-Suzuki, Hartford Courant, 9 Mar. 2026
Absolutely addictive, especially with the garlic aioli.
—Laura Ness, Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2026
Outreach workers and public health officials say the highly addictive synthetic opioid has devastated many people living on the streets nearby.
—Teresa Liu, Daily News, 6 Mar. 2026
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) does not classify social media use as an addictive disorder.
—Carolina Rossini, The Conversation, 6 Mar. 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 10 Mar. 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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