addictive

adjective

ad·​dic·​tive ə-ˈdik-tiv How to pronounce addictive (audio)
a-
Synonyms of addictive
: causing or characterized by addiction
an addictive drug
an addictive personality

Synonyms of addictive

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Examples of addictive in a Sentence

highly addictive drugs like crack and heroin the addictive thrill of surfing
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Meta has swooned as the company fights litigation alleging that the firm seeded addictive behavior in children. — Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026 Perhaps that is part of why eclipse chasing becomes so addictive. — Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 19 Aug. 2026 Black market Yaba is a street name for pills containing methamphetamine, a powerful, highly addictive stimulant. — Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 18 Aug. 2026 In March, Meta and YouTube were found liable after a woman sued, accusing the platforms of harming her mental health with features that were designed to be addictive, like personalized algorithms and infinite scroll. — Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for addictive

Word History

Etymology

addict entry 2 + -ive

First Known Use

1891, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of addictive was in 1891

Rhymes for addictive

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Browse Nearby Words

addiction
addictive
add-in
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Addictive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/addictive. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

addictive

adjective
ad·​dic·​tive ə-ˈdik-tiv How to pronounce addictive (audio)
a-
: causing or characterized by addiction
an addictive drug
an addictive game

Medical Definition

addictive

adjective
ad·​dic·​tive ə-ˈdik-tiv How to pronounce addictive (audio)
: causing or characterized by addiction
addictive drugs

Legal Definition

addictive

adjective
ad·​dic·​tive ə-ˈdik-tiv How to pronounce addictive (audio)
: causing or characterized by addiction
addictive drugs
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