English · Word Candidate

addictive

/əˈdɪktɪv/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: addictives

Sense 1

Meaning · English

Causing or tending to cause addiction; habit-forming.

Adjective

These are addictive drugs.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Meaning · English

Enjoyable, so that one comes back for more.

Adjective

There are loads of mazes, it's all really good fun and utterly addictive […]

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Meaning · English

A drug that causes an addiction.

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Meaning · English

Anything that is very habit-forming.

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

What does “addictive” mean?

Causing or tending to cause addiction; habit-forming.

Is “addictive” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.