addicting

A1D2D2I1C3T1I1N1G2
/əˈdɪktɪŋ/

adjective

Causing addiction.

Less commonScrabble 14

Meanings

adjectiveaddicting (comparative more addicting, superlative most addicting)

comparative more addicting · superlative most addicting

  1. USCausing addiction.

    Cocaine has been reconceptualized as our most addicting drug and crack is viewed as the most addicting form of cocaine

    1992, Barbara C. Wallace, The Chemically Dependent: Phases of Treatment and Recovery, page 22
    4 more examples

    whether any of the substances possess addicting properties is very difficult to determine on animals, although efforts are being made to study this aspect of the problem on dogs and monkeys.

    1936 June 1, Nathan Browne Eddy, quotee, “Morphine Substitutes”, in Time, archived from the original on 21 Nov 2010

    similar in action to codeine salts but when compared with codeine on the basis of weight is more active, and more addicting.

    1950, Council on Drugs (American Medical Association) with Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry (American Medical Association), New and Nonofficial Drugs, page 42

    When we didn't have narcotics laws, when we could go and buy this stuff like you could candy and potatoes, laudanum was a very addicting drug

    1957, United States Congress. Senate. Committee on the Judiciary, Juvenile Delinquency (Treatment and Rehabilitation of Juvenile Drug Addicts), page 182

    That is why smoking and intravenous injection are the routes of administration chosen by addicted people and why these routes of administration are so much more addicting than is oral use of the same drug.

    2000, Robert L. DuPont with Betty Ford, The Selfish Brain: Learning from Addiction, page 101

    Synonyms: addictive, moreish

verb
  1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of addict

    Mr. Johnson's communication states that the preparation "has a large sale, and is addicting the public to its use"

    1898, New York (State). Dept. of Health, Annual Report, page 371
    1 more example

    For though in his Nature there is a Tendency to Rational Pleasures, yet this he may, and very frequently does, stifle and extinguish by addicting himself wholly to the Delights and Gratifications of his Sense

    1686, John Scott, The Christian Life: From Its Beginning to Its Consummation in Glory, page 60

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveCausing addiction.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂éd
  2. Proto-Italic*ad
  3. Proto-Italic*ad-
  4. Latinad-
  5. Proto-Indo-European*deyḱ-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*déyḱeti
  7. Proto-Italic*deikō
  8. Latindīcō
  9. Latinaddīcō
  10. Latinaddictus
  11. Englishaddict
  12. Englishaddicting

From addict + -ing.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

addicting. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/addicting

MLA

“addicting.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/addicting. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “addicting,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/addicting.

Source: addicting on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.