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habit-forming

American  
[hab-it-fawr-ming] / ˈhæb ɪtˌfɔr mɪŋ /

adjective

  1. tending to cause or encourage addiction, especially through physiological dependence.

    habit-forming drugs.


habit-forming British  

adjective

  1. (of an activity, indulgence, etc) tending to become a habit or 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

Etymology

Origin of habit-forming

First recorded in 1895–1900

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.

While the medical establishment has mostly maintained that gabapentin isn’t habit-forming, some patients have reported debilitating adverse effects when they try to taper off it.

From The Wall Street Journal

Coffee is one of the most profitable and habit-forming products in the restaurant business.

From The Wall Street Journal

Experience suggests that odds are stacked against Indian apps, especially when habit-forming giants like WhatsApp and Facebook dominate.

From BBC

"We know that many people, including children, struggle with overspending on loot boxes," he said, adding they were deliberately designed to be "habit-forming."

From BBC

According to the formal definition, antidepressants are not habit-forming.

From Science Daily