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habit-forming
adjective
hab·it-form·ing
ˈha-bət-ˌfȯr-miŋ
: inducing the formation of an addiction
a habit-forming drug
Examples of habit-forming in a Sentence
warned the patient to be careful, because morphine can be habit-forming
Recent Examples on the Web
According to Yale’s Institution for Social and Policy Studies, voting is habit-forming.
—Ian Simmons, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
This time frame aligns with findings that TikTok videos, usually lasting only a few seconds, can quickly become habit-forming, leading to excessive screen time and impacting essential activities such as sleep, education, and personal relationships.
—Lars Daniel, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2024
These drugs are known to be habit-forming when used for too long or at too high of a dose.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 23 Sep. 2024
Risk of abuse, misuse, and addiction: Benzodiazepines can be habit-forming and may lead to abuse, misuse, and addiction.
—Patricia Weiser, Pharmd, Verywell Health, 20 Sep. 2024
Features like notifications and algorithmic feeds full of personalized content are designed to be habit-forming, and when you’re stressed or tired, people lose the ability to ignore certain impulses and control their habits, according to Wood.
—Adam Clark Estes, Vox, 1 Aug. 2024
What’s been habit-forming this summer is that several movies have been blowing away projections with big walk-up business from Latino and Hispanic moviegoers.
—Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 23 July 2024
Operating your businesses through concealment of the truth is habit-forming for those without regard for the welfare of consumers.
—Dennis Aftergut, New York Daily News, 14 Apr. 2024
Some potentially habit-forming chemicals—including the two biggest killers, alcohol and tobacco—are legal to use and sell.
—Mark A. R. Kleiman, Foreign Affairs, 13 Feb. 2017
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Word History
First Known Use
1913, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near habit-forming
Cite this Entry
“Habit-forming.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/habit-forming. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
habit-forming
adjective
hab·it-form·ing
ˈhab-ət-ˌfȯr-miŋ
: causing an addiction
a habit-forming drug
Medical Definition
habit-forming
adjective
hab·it-form·ing
ˈhab-ət-ˌfȯr-miŋ
: inducing the formation of an addiction
a habit-forming prescription painkiller
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