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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Sensitivity

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

The government offers no gambling hotline and funds no gambling addiction treatment; there is no national self-exclusion list.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2026

Mr. Mansour argues that Kalshi’s fee-per-transaction model means it doesn’t make money off of losers, ostensibly limiting its incentive to encourage addiction.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2026

Mazariegos has said all the ordinance does is shuffle people around, and instead the focus should be on addressing addiction and mental health issues.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026

McCusker founded a soup kitchen in north Belfast in 2017 and regularly campaigns on issues regarding homelessness, poverty and addiction.

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026

He’s the director of the Center for Internet and Technology Addiction, one of the first places in the world to treat technology addiction as a medical disorder.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

Your letter references how financial pressures, emotional turmoil, challenging workplace situations, addictions and mental-health challenges all play a role in how people deal with stressful situations.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026

Ask the average person what homelessness looks like in America, and the answer invariably involves urban encampments—people with severe mental disabilities or serious addictions living in tents and squalor.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 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

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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