habit-forming

adjective

hab·​it-form·​ing ˈha-bət-ˌfȯr-miŋ How to pronounce habit-forming (audio)
: 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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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

Word History

First Known Use

1913, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of habit-forming was in 1913

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 How to pronounce habit-forming (audio)
: inducing the formation of an addiction
a habit-forming prescription painkiller

More from Merriam-Webster on habit-forming

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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