Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

neurotic

1 American  
[noo-rot-ik, nyoo-] / nʊˈrɒt ɪk, njʊ- /

adjective

  1. of, relating to, or characteristic of neurosis.


noun

neurotics plural
  1. a neurotic person.

neurotic 2 American  
[noo-rot-ik, nyoo-] / nʊˈrɒt ɪk, njʊ- /

adjective

Pathology.
  1. pertaining to the nerves or to nerve disease; neural: no longer in technical use.


neurotic British  
/ njʊˈrɒtɪk /

adjective

  1. of, relating to, or afflicted by neurosis

"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

noun

  1. a person who is afflicted with a neurosis or who tends to be emotionally unstable or unusually anxious

"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

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Etymology

Origin of neurotic1

First recorded in 1870–75; neur(osis) + -otic

Origin of neurotic2

First recorded in 1765–75; neuro- + -tic

Explanation

If you call someone neurotic, you are saying she is stressed out. Neurotic can be a psychological term or it can be used more loosely. You may have a neurotic tendency to bite your nails or to pull out your hair. Ouch. The adjective neurotic refers to someone who shows signs of mental disturbance but does not indicate complete psychosis. Neurotic comes from neuro-, from a Greek word for "nerve." It can also describe someone with neurotic behaviors, so you can think of a neurotic as someone who has a particularly bad case of nerves.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing neurotic

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.

See Examples For:

Psychiatrists described him as neurotic, with a tendency to ruminate and worry, and said he had developed a "rigid sense of right and wrong".

From BBC Jul. 13, 2026

The neurotic self-policing about the supposed rules of engagement has given way to something that looks more like confidence.

From Salon May 30, 2026

Germany is uniquely neurotic about debt and about unsound money.

From BBC Mar. 27, 2026

She was one of many authors he wrangled—alcoholic William Faulkner, neurotic Dr. Seuss, industrious James Michener, imperious Philip Roth.

From The Wall Street Journal Jan. 30, 2026

Why did she have to be so neurotic and perfectionistic that she was online the minute registration opened for students with last names beginning with A through C?

From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti

For all his virtuosity, Wallace specialized in erudite neurotics from Middle America who suffer from various degrees of mental illness.

From Los Angeles Times Apr. 1, 2022

Storr acknowledged that Dr. Janov had “made a lot of neurotics feel better,” but he attributed the success essentially to the power of suggestion.

From Washington Post Oct. 4, 2017

“Many young male neurotics find out early that hard labor is salve for an overactive mind,” he writes.

From New York Times May 31, 2017

They attack the very shelter nature had given them, something neurotics of all animal classes can relate to.

From Slate Feb. 13, 2017

Dora had handled plenty of neurotics in her time.

From "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 12,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training