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Synonyms

neurotic

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

adjective

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

noun

  1. a neurotic person.

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

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

  • neurotically adverb
  • semineurotically adverb
  • unneurotically adverb

Etymology

Origin of neurotic1

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

Origin of neurotic2

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

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.

Germany is uniquely neurotic about debt and about unsound money.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

Arsenal’s quest to end a two-decade dry spell hasn’t exactly been helped by one of the most neurotic fan bases in Europe.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026

Sometimes his neurotic, navel-gazing side gets the better of his artistry, as was the case at his concert at the Greek Theatre in the summer of 2024.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 15, 2025

And while Jerry’s perfectionism had a toll on their creative process, it also fueled it, making way for more neurotic characters that Anne could play straight against.

From Salon • Oct. 18, 2025

“I think you’re really smart. Definitely a bit on the neurotic side, but totally smart. And brave, too.”

From "Aru Shah and the End of Time" by Roshani Chokshi

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.