psychotic

American  

[sahy-kot-ik] / saɪˈkɒt ɪk /

adjective

1. Psychiatry. relating to, characterized by, or exhibiting psychosis: psychotic symptoms;

   a psychotic patient;

   psychotic symptoms;

   psychotic delusion.

   Synonyms:

   non compos mentis, demented, deranged, disturbed, mad, mentally ill, psychopathic, insane

   Antonyms:

   lucid, rational, compos mentis, sane

2. (loosely) mentally unstable.

   The man who threw a stone through the convenience store window must be psychotic.

   Synonyms:

   potty, screwy, batty, daft, cuckoo, kooky, bonkers, nuts, nutty, crazy, loony

3. intensely upset, anxious, or angry; crazy.

   My dad gets so psychotic when I come home even a little bit late.

   Synonyms:

   pissed off, livid, incensed, irate, wrathful, furious, crazed

   Antonyms:

   self-possessed, calm

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noun

1. Psychiatry. a person afflicted with psychosis.

   Synonyms:

   maniac, madman, psychopath

2. (loosely) someone who is mentally unstable.

   Her partner is a psychotic who often uses abusive language.

   Synonyms:

   kook, nutjob, nut, loon, loony

1. someone who exhibits extreme emotion or behavior.

   My brother turns into a complete psychotic whenever his team loses.

   Synonyms:

   psycho, maniac

psychotic British  

/ saɪˈkɒtɪk /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characterized by psychosis

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noun

1. a person experiencing psychosis

Usage

It is preferable to talk about a person experiencing psychosis rather than a psychotic , which reduces a person's individuality

Other Word Forms

• nonpsychotic adjective
• psychotically adverb
• semipsychotic adjective
• unpsychotic adjective

Etymology

Origin of psychotic

First recorded in 1885–85; psych(osis) + -otic

Example Sentences

But it has also been criticized for being overly sycophantic toward users, and doctors have linked it with cases of chatbot users developing psychotic delusions.

From The Wall Street Journal

That so many people in Minneapolis have endangered themselves by waving phones in the faces of armed federal officers and shouting obscenities as if they were psychotic is one of many unhappy consequences.

From The Wall Street Journal

As much as he may have appeared psychotic, he was also romantic.

From Los Angeles Times

After wrapping “Ponies” last summer, Richardson flew to South Africa to shoot Gore Verbinski’s upcoming sci-fi thriller “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die,” which she describes as “psychotic but amazing.”

From Los Angeles Times

Coroner Rachel Spearing concluded he was "in the likely grip of a psychotic episode".

From BBC

Related Words

• demented
• insane
• mad
• unhinged