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Synonyms

addictive

American  
[uh-dik-tiv] / əˈdɪk tɪv /

adjective

  1. null addicting producing or tending to cause addiction.

    an addictive drug.

  2. more than normally susceptible to addiction.

    an addictive personality.
addictive British  
/ əˈdɪktɪv /

adjective

  1. of, relating to, or causing addiction

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • addictiveness noun
  • nonaddictive adjective

Etymology

Origin of addictive

First recorded in 1935–40; addict + -ive

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Novels in series often come out once a year, are addictive, have characters people love.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

But that case also found the companies were negligent in how they designed their products, making them addictive to young users.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the move was aimed at tackling rising anxiety and sleep problems among young people, as well as what he described as the "addictive design" of social media.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

What they are is addictive, catchy, energizing and undeniable.

From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026

And I guess it’s kind of addictive either way.

From "Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda" by Becky Albertalli

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.