psychotic
adjective
psy·chot·ic
sī-ˈkä-tik 
1
medical
: of, relating to, marked by, or affected with psychosis
a psychotic patient
psychotic behavior
2
sometimes offensive
: exhibiting or suggestive of mental or emotional unsoundness or instability
—not used technically
Note: The nontechnical use of psychotic is increasingly viewed as a trivialization of mental illness.
psychotic
noun
plural psychotics
Synonyms
- balmy
- barmy [chiefly British]
- bats
- batty
- bedlam
- bonkers
- brainsick
- bughouse [slang]
- certifiable
- crackbrained
- cracked
- crackers
- crackpot
- cranky [dialect]
- crazed
- crazy
- cuckoo
- daffy
- daft
- demented
- deranged
- fruity [slang]
- gaga
- haywire
- insane
- kooky
- kookie
- loco [slang]
- loony
- looney
- loony tunes
- looney tunes
- lunatic
- mad
- maniacal
- maniac
- mental
- meshuga
- meshugge
- meshugah
- meshuggah
- moonstruck
- non compos mentis
- nuts
- nutty
- psycho
- scatty [chiefly British]
- screwy
- unbalanced
- unhinged
- unsound
- wacko
- whacko
- wacky
- whacky
- wud [chiefly Scottish]
Examples of psychotic in a Sentence
He was diagnosed as psychotic.
a psychotic patient who was recently admitted
Recent Examples on the Web
The counselor also told police Trotman had had a previous psychotic break in which he was found wandering the woods.
—
Peter Hermann, Washington Post, 7 Feb. 2023
Lewis prescribed Price anti-psychotic medication after a mental health referral Sept. 1.
—Thomas Saccente, Arkansas Online, 17 Jan. 2023
Upon arrival, body camera video footage and audio show Terrell was confused and potentially in the midst of a psychotic break.
—The Arizona Republic, 5 Jan. 2023
However, the increase was accounted for by the rise in non-psychotic patients, and there was a rise in the rate of people with only anxiety disorders.
—Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 3 Aug. 2011
Consumption may increase manic and psychotic symptoms, and there may be a greater risk of suicide.
—Gary Stix, Scientific American, 29 Nov. 2022
The traditional anti-psychotic Haldol for example can cause severe Parkinson’s symptoms in patients with Lewy body dementia, but not in a patient with Alzheimer’s disease.
—Gretchen Cuda Kroen, cleveland, 18 Nov. 2022
Stories started getting a little more gothic and grittier, the longtime villains a little more unstable and psychotic.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2022
There was also a small, but worrisome risk of being diagnosed with a psychotic disorder such as schizophrenia or delusional thinking.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 18 Aug. 2022
Peter Hermann, Washington Post, 7 Feb. 2023
Lewis prescribed Price anti-psychotic medication after a mental health referral Sept. 1.
—Thomas Saccente, Arkansas Online, 17 Jan. 2023
Upon arrival, body camera video footage and audio show Terrell was confused and potentially in the midst of a psychotic break.
—The Arizona Republic, 5 Jan. 2023
However, the increase was accounted for by the rise in non-psychotic patients, and there was a rise in the rate of people with only anxiety disorders.
—Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 3 Aug. 2011
Consumption may increase manic and psychotic symptoms, and there may be a greater risk of suicide.
—Gary Stix, Scientific American, 29 Nov. 2022
The traditional anti-psychotic Haldol for example can cause severe Parkinson’s symptoms in patients with Lewy body dementia, but not in a patient with Alzheimer’s disease.
—Gretchen Cuda Kroen, cleveland, 18 Nov. 2022
Stories started getting a little more gothic and grittier, the longtime villains a little more unstable and psychotic.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2022
There was also a small, but worrisome risk of being diagnosed with a psychotic disorder such as schizophrenia or delusional thinking.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 18 Aug. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'psychotic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near psychotic
Cite this Entry
“Psychotic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/psychotic. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
psychotic
1 of 2 adjective
psy·chot·ic
sī-ˈkät-ik
: of, relating to, marked by, or affected with psychosis
psychotic
2 of 2 noun
: a psychotic individual
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