psychotic

American  

[sahy-kot-ik] / saɪˈkɒt ɪk /

adjective

1. Psychiatry. relating to, characterized by, or exhibiting psychosis: psychotic symptoms;

   a psychotic patient;

   psychotic symptoms;

   psychotic delusion.

   Synonyms:

   non compos mentis, demented, deranged, disturbed, mad, mentally ill, psychopathic, insane

   Antonyms:

   lucid, rational, compos mentis, sane

2. (loosely) mentally unstable.

   The man who threw a stone through the convenience store window must be psychotic.

   Synonyms:

   potty, screwy, batty, daft, cuckoo, kooky, bonkers, nuts, nutty, crazy, loony

3. intensely upset, anxious, or angry; crazy.

   My dad gets so psychotic when I come home even a little bit late.

   Synonyms:

   pissed off, livid, incensed, irate, wrathful, furious, crazed

   Antonyms:

   self-possessed, calm

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noun

1. Psychiatry. a person afflicted with psychosis.

   Synonyms:

   maniac, madman, psychopath

2. (loosely) someone who is mentally unstable.

   Her partner is a psychotic who often uses abusive language.

   Synonyms:

   kook, nutjob, nut, loon, loony

1. someone who exhibits extreme emotion or behavior.

   My brother turns into a complete psychotic whenever his team loses.

   Synonyms:

   psycho, maniac

psychotic British  

/ saɪˈkɒtɪk /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characterized by psychosis

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noun

1. a person experiencing psychosis

Usage

It is preferable to talk about a person experiencing psychosis rather than a psychotic , which reduces a person's individuality

Other Word Forms

• nonpsychotic adjective
• psychotically adverb
• semipsychotic adjective
• unpsychotic adjective

Etymology

Origin of psychotic

First recorded in 1885–85; psych(osis) + -otic

Example Sentences

But it has also been criticized for being overly sycophantic toward users, and doctors have linked it with cases of chatbot users developing psychotic delusions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 10, 2026

As much as he may have appeared psychotic, he was also romantic.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 23, 2026

Numerous users have reported that the chatbot is overly sycophantic, leading some to spiral into manic and psychotic episodes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 11, 2025

"We don't have monitoring figures including how many are taking medication for psychotic behaviour, the effectiveness of that medication and crucially what is available for people apart from medication," she said.

From BBC • Dec. 10, 2025

Crossing Fourteenth Street, an unmedicated psychotic would brandish a toilet brush, his mouth moving wordlessly as, in my head, the young people of France requested a table with a view of the fountain.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

Related Words

• demented
• insane
• mad
• unhinged