Addictive describes something that makes people want it so strongly that they find it extremely hard to stop, even when they know they should. Video games can be addictive when players feel they must keep playing just one more level, hour after hour. Social media becomes addictive when someone constantly checks their phone, unable to put it down even during dinner or homework time.

Addiction is a serious physical or psychological dependence on substances like tobacco or alcohol. Scientists have discovered that certain activities can trigger the same reward systems in our brains, creating powerful cravings. When something is addictive, it hijacks your brain's natural desire for pleasure and makes you want more and more, even when it stops being truly enjoyable or starts causing problems.

You'll hear people call potato chips or certain TV shows “addictive” in a lighter, more casual way. They mean these things are really appealing and hard to stop enjoying, not that they're dangerous like truly addictive substances.