addiction

American  

[uh-dik-shuhn] / əˈdɪk ʃən /

noun

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 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

• overaddiction noun

Etymology

Origin of addiction

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

Example Sentences

When activated, it reduces pain over a sustained period without interfering with normal sensations or activating reward pathways associated with addiction.

From Science Daily • Mar. 28, 2026

The top concerns in a survey of residents were homelessness and addiction, Horton said.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 28, 2026

Then, the hosts react to the surprising ruling on Meta and social media addiction.

From Slate • Mar. 28, 2026

The immediate trigger for Thursday’s fall was fear of a wave of legal judgments against the company after a jury found Meta liable in a social-media addiction case.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

The Yale paper notes that the word addiction derives from the Latin addicere, which translates to “enslaved to” or “bound by.”

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