What does addiction mean?
Addiction is the state of being dependent on a substance or activity in a way that feels compulsory and difficult to control. Clinically, it describes a condition — such as drug, alcohol, or gambling addiction — in which a person continues the behavior despite clear harm to health, relationships, or finances, often accompanied by tolerance and withdrawal. Beyond medicine, the word is used more loosely to describe any consuming enthusiasm, as in an 'addiction to true-crime podcasts,' usually with a wry or self-deprecating tone. The term derives from the Latin 'addicere,' meaning to assign or surrender, originally evoking legal bondage; this sense of being bound or enslaved still echoes in how we understand the word today. Because addiction sits at the intersection of medicine, morality, and everyday language, it is a powerful but sensitive term: precise in clinical settings, playful in casual ones, and always carrying the underlying idea of something that holds sway over us against our better judgment.
nounThe condition of being physically or psychologically dependent on a substance or activity, characterized by compulsive use despite harmful consequences. More broadly, an intense devotion to or fondness for something.
- A physical or psychological dependence on a substance (such as drugs or alcohol) marked by compulsive use despite harm.
- A compulsive engagement in an activity (such as gambling or gaming) that becomes difficult to control.
- An intense enthusiasm for or devotion to something harmless, used figuratively or humorously.
"His addiction to gambling cost him his savings and, eventually, his marriage."
"She sought treatment for her addiction to opioids after years of struggling in silence."
"For him, coffee was less a beverage than a full-blown addiction he had no intention of giving up."
The plural is uncommon but appears when discussing multiple dependencies or when speaking generally about different kinds of addiction across a population.
"The clinic treats a wide range of addictions, from alcohol to prescription painkillers."
In ancient Rome, being an 'addictus' meant you were legally enslaved to your creditor — the word 'addiction' has carried the idea of bondage from its very first day.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of addiction
Addiction comes from the Latin 'addictus,' the past participle of 'addicere,' meaning to assign, award, or surrender to — in Roman law, an 'addictus' was a debtor bound over to his creditor as a slave. The word entered English in the late sixteenth or early seventeenth century, first meaning a strong inclination or devoted attachment to something, and only later narrowed toward compulsive dependence on substances. It shares its root with words like 'dedicate' and 'indicate,' all tracing back to the Latin 'dicere,' to say or declare.
Related word forms
How addiction is actually used
In medical and clinical contexts, 'addiction' carries a precise meaning involving compulsive use despite harm, and is increasingly preferred over older terms like 'drug abuse.' In everyday speech it is often used loosely and even playfully ('a chocolate addiction'), which some consider to trivialize the clinical condition. The word is neutral-to-negative in connotation; describing someone as having an addiction is generally more compassionate than calling them an 'addict,' which reduces a person to their condition.
Easily confused with addiction
A habit is a repeated behavior that can be broken with relative ease, while an addiction is a compulsive dependence that persists despite harm and is difficult to stop.