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psychoactive
adjective
psy·cho·ac·tive
ˌsī-kō-ˈak-tiv
: affecting the mind or behavior
psychoactive drugs
Examples of psychoactive in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And higher levels of THC, the main psychoactive component in marijuana, are believed to pose more health risks.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 May 2024
Two churches, in New Mexico and Oregon, sued the Drug Enforcement Administration in the 2000s, winning the right to import and serve ayahuasca, a psychoactive Amazonian brew.
—Ernesto Londoño Meridith Kohut, New York Times, 12 May 2024
The plant’s main psychoactive element, THC, produces feelings of euphoria for users.
—Julia Marnin, Miami Herald, 10 May 2024
The Colorado River toad, a species native to Arizona’s Sonoran Desert and parts of northwest Mexico, has gained fame for its production of a toxin with psychoactive properties—and, some say, medicinal benefits.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 May 2024
Ayahuasca is a psychedelic liquid made from heating or boiling multiple psychoactive plants from South America, according to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation of Australia.
—Nathan Hart, The Enquirer, 7 May 2024
Hemp is a variety of the cannabis plant that has low levels of delta-9 THC, the psychoactive compound that gets people high.
—Jessie Opoien, Journal Sentinel, 3 May 2024
For the first few years after the bill became law, many hemp producers created products with the cannabidiol (CBD) compound, then moved on to others: first delta-8, then delta-9 THC, which is the psychoactive component of marijuana.
—Jordyn Noennig, Journal Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2024
In the 2018 farm bill, Congress allowed for the legal sale of hemp, a variety of cannabis plant, which has very low levels of Delta-9 THC, the psychoactive compound that gets people high.
—Ashley Okwuosa, The Examination; Amy Yurkanin, Al.com; John Diedrich, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, USA TODAY, 18 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'psychoactive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1959, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing psychoactive
Dictionary Entries Near psychoactive
Cite this Entry
“Psychoactive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/psychoactive. Accessed 23 May. 2024.
Kids Definition
psychoactive
adjective
psy·cho·ac·tive
ˌsī-kō-ˈak-tiv
: affecting the mind or behavior
psychoactive drugs
Medical Definition
psychoactive
adjective
psy·cho·ac·tive
ˌsī-kō-ˈak-tiv
: affecting the mind or behavior
psychoactive drugs
THC is the principal psychoactive ingredient in marijuana
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