addiction

American  

[uh-dik-shuhn] / əˈdɪk ʃən /

noun

• addictions
  plural

1. the state of being compulsively committed to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma.

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addiction British  

/ əˈdɪkʃən /

noun

1. the condition of being abnormally dependent on some habit, esp compulsive dependency on narcotic drugs

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addiction Scientific  

/ ə-dĭk′shən /

1. A physical or psychological need for a habit-forming substance, such as a drug or alcohol. In physical addiction, the body adapts to the substance being used and gradually requires increased amounts to reproduce the effects originally produced by smaller doses.

2. See more at withdrawal

3. A habitual or compulsive involvement in an activity, such as gambling.

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Sensitive Note

See addict.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• overaddiction
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• addictions
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of addiction

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin addictiōn- (stem of addictiō ) “a giving over, surrender”; see addict, -ion

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Explanation

An addiction is an abnormally strong craving for something, which can sometimes grow so strong you have trouble living without it. People will sometimes use the word addiction casually, like, "I have a major addiction to chocolate! Yummy!" But the word's true meaning is more serious, and refers to something that isn't so yummy, like an alcohol or drug addiction. When someone has an addiction to smoking, for example, they might not be able to stop smoking even if it causes them to get sick.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

addiction addictions

“Mindfulness” can feel like a woo-woo term, but one study found that mindfulness accounted for about half the link between short-form video addiction and lower academic engagement.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026

The researchers describe this unusual dependence as an "energy addiction."

From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026

"Truly, this is a corporate accountability case," he told AFP, citing the recent example of Meta, which reached a major settlement over teen social media addiction.

From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026

The site's blog explores the "serious side" of the fake takeaway, from food-delivery addiction and why fake ordering feels good to cravings, guilt and the psychology of the shopping cart.

From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026

The Muslim program began with recognizing that color and addiction have a distinct connection.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey

Newer ones such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, broadly known as GLP-1s, have exploded in popularity for weight loss and have shown promise for treating other conditions, such as addictions and neurodegenerative and liver diseases.

From Salon ● Apr. 4, 2026

L’Belle-Tividad believes everyone has innate intuitive ability, but that the realities of contemporary life — a 9-to-5 job, screen addictions, long commutes — have dulled our senses.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 8, 2025

Early versions of aversion therapy were first trialled on animals and then on humans for conditions such as phobias, compulsions, and addictions, for example, using mild shocks to reduce nail-biting or gambling.

From BBC ● Dec. 5, 2025

Lawmaker Diego Schalper, an author of the bill, said mobile phone use in children is associated with online addictions and "affects the educational process in classrooms."

From Barron's ● Dec. 2, 2025

They would file around the table, presenting their deficiencies, telling of their addictions, their cheating hearts.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

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