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

In 1925, Routledge suffered a psychotic crisis from which she never recovered.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

At a news conference in April 2024, Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood said he received a call from Zimmer that Scrivner was armed and experiencing “some type of psychotic episode” at his Tehachapi home.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 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

Standard anti-nausea medications often do not work reliably, he said, which sometimes forces clinicians to turn to second and third-line options such as Haldol, a medication more commonly used for psychotic episodes.

From Science Daily • Nov. 27, 2025

“Isaac, Hazel from Support Group is coming downstairs. Hazel, a gentle reminder: Isaac is in the midst of a psychotic episode.”

From "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green

Related Words

• demented
• insane
• mad
• unhinged