Addiction is something many people in the USA face, and it can show up in different forms—like smoking, overeating, video games, or even using a phone too much. Talking about addiction can be tough. That’s why people in America sometimes use idioms, which are fun and clever phrases, to describe these serious habits in simple ways.
Idioms help us understand how someone feels or what they’re going through, without using direct words. For example, someone might say, “He’s hooked,” instead of saying, “He can’t stop.” These phrases make language more colorful and easy to relate to. In this article, you’ll learn 45 common idioms about addiction and how they are used across the USA.
Idioms About Addiction
1. Hooked
Meaning: Addicted or strongly interested in something.
Example Sentence:
– He’s hooked on video games.
– She got hooked on energy drinks last year.
Other ways to say: Addicted, can’t stop
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from fishing. When a fish is caught on a hook, it can’t escape—just like addiction.
Usage: Used when someone can’t stop doing something, often a bad habit.
2. Cold turkey
Meaning: To quit something suddenly and completely.
Example Sentence:
– He quit smoking cold turkey.
– She stopped drinking cold turkey.
Other ways to say: Quit suddenly, give up fast
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase may come from how a person’s skin can look pale and bumpy when they stop using a drug quickly—like cold turkey skin.
Usage: Used when someone quits an addiction without easing into it.
3. On the wagon
Meaning: Not drinking alcohol or avoiding an addiction.
Example Sentence:
– He’s been on the wagon since New Year’s.
– I’m on the wagon and not drinking soda anymore.
Other ways to say: Sober, staying clean
Fun Fact/Origin: From the 1800s in the USA, where people would say they were “on the water wagon” instead of drinking alcohol.
Usage: Common in the USA to say someone has stopped drinking.
4. Off the wagon
Meaning: Starting to drink or use again after quitting.
Example Sentence:
– He was doing well, but he’s off the wagon now.
– She fell off the wagon after six months of no candy.
Other ways to say: Relapsed, started again
Fun Fact/Origin: This is the opposite of “on the wagon,” meaning the person returned to their habit.
Usage: Used when someone goes back to an old addiction.
5. A monkey on your back
Meaning: A strong addiction that’s hard to shake off.
Example Sentence:
– He’s had a monkey on his back since college.
– That sugar habit is a real monkey on her back.
Other ways to say: A heavy burden, constant struggle
Fun Fact/Origin: Popular in the 20th century USA to describe heroin addiction.
Usage: Used when addiction feels like it’s always bothering someone.
6. Craving kicks in
Meaning: A strong urge to use or do something addictive begins.
Example Sentence:
– My craving kicked in right after lunch.
– When the movie started, his popcorn craving kicked in.
Other ways to say: Urge starts, can’t resist
Fun Fact/Origin: “Kick in” is used for things that suddenly start working or feeling—common in American slang.
Usage: Describes the start of an urge or temptation.
7. Jonesing for something
Meaning: Feeling a strong need for something, often from withdrawal.
Example Sentence:
– He’s jonesing for a soda.
– She was jonesing for a smoke during the break.
Other ways to say: Itching for, needing badly
Fun Fact/Origin: Started in the 1960s USA, first used to talk about heroin withdrawal.
Usage: Casual American way to talk about craving.
8. Habit-forming
Meaning: Easy to become addicted to.
Example Sentence:
– Candy is habit-forming for many kids.
– That show is super habit-forming.
Other ways to say: Addictive, easy to depend on
Fun Fact/Origin: Common on American warning labels, especially on medicine.
Usage: Used to describe things that quickly lead to addiction.
9. Fix
Meaning: A dose of something you’re addicted to.
Example Sentence:
– He needed his coffee fix before school.
– She got her fix of reality TV last night.
Other ways to say: Dose, hit
Fun Fact/Origin: First used for drug addiction, now used in everyday USA talk (like coffee or chocolate).
Usage: Often playful or sarcastic when used for non-drugs.
10. Can’t get enough
Meaning: Loving or needing something too much.
Example Sentence:
– He can’t get enough of that video game.
– I can’t get enough of spicy snacks.
Other ways to say: Obsessed with, crazy about
Fun Fact/Origin: A popular phrase used in U.S. advertising and pop culture.
Usage: Used when someone keeps going back to something again and again.
11. Under the influence
Meaning: Being affected by drugs or alcohol.
Example Sentence:
– He was under the influence while driving.
– She acted strange because she was under the influence.
Other ways to say: Drunk, high
Fun Fact/Origin: Common term in American police reports and driving laws.
Usage: Often serious, used in legal or medical talk.
12. Chasing the high
Meaning: Trying to feel the same excitement as the first time.
Example Sentence:
– He’s always chasing the high from his first game win.
– People who take risks often chase the high.
Other ways to say: Looking for a thrill, trying to feel that rush
Fun Fact/Origin: From drug use, but now also used for people chasing excitement.
Usage: Used to describe thrill-seeking behavior.
13. Gateway drug
Meaning: A substance that leads to stronger addiction later.
Example Sentence:
– Some say vaping is a gateway drug.
– Candy wasn’t harmful, but it was a gateway to sugar addiction.
Other ways to say: First step, starter habit
Fun Fact/Origin: Used in American health studies since the 1980s.
Usage: Usually for early habits that lead to worse ones.
14. Hit rock bottom
Meaning: Reaching the lowest point in addiction or life.
Example Sentence:
– He hit rock bottom after losing his job and friends.
– She hit rock bottom before deciding to get help.
Other ways to say: Lowest point, broke down
Fun Fact/Origin: Common in American recovery programs.
Usage: Used to describe a wake-up moment in addiction.
15. Kick the habit
Meaning: To stop an addiction.
Example Sentence:
– He’s trying to kick the smoking habit.
– It’s not easy to kick the junk food habit.
Other ways to say: Quit, break free
Fun Fact/Origin: From American slang, widely used in health and therapy.
Usage: Common way to say “quit” in the U.S.
16. Addicted to the rush
Meaning: Loving the excitement or thrill too much.
Example Sentence:
– He’s addicted to the rush of skydiving.
– She’s addicted to the rush of shopping online.
Other ways to say: Can’t stop chasing thrills
Fun Fact/Origin: “Rush” means a sudden good feeling, often from adrenaline.
Usage: Used for both good and bad thrills.
17. Slave to it
Meaning: Controlled by addiction or habit.
Example Sentence:
– He’s a slave to his phone.
– She became a slave to caffeine.
Other ways to say: Controlled by, stuck in
Fun Fact/Origin: Meant to show how strong habits can take over your life.
Usage: Shows lack of control in a dramatic way.
18. Can’t help myself
Meaning: Unable to stop a habit.
Example Sentence:
– I can’t help myself around cookies.
– He can’t help himself from checking his phone.
Other ways to say: No control, always gives in
Fun Fact/Origin: Common American way to express giving in to temptation.
Usage: Often used in a casual or funny way.
19. Habitual user
Meaning: Someone who uses something all the time.
Example Sentence:
– He’s a habitual user of energy drinks.
– She became a habitual user of social media.
Other ways to say: Regular user, constant user
Fun Fact/Origin: Used in U.S. legal and medical records.
Usage: Sounds formal or official.
20. Lose control
Meaning: Can’t stop or manage your habit.
Example Sentence:
– He lost control of his spending habits.
– She lost control with sugar and snacks.
Other ways to say: Out of control, no self-discipline
Fun Fact/Origin: A popular topic in American addiction recovery.
Usage: Common in counseling and school talks.
21. At the mercy of
Meaning: Being controlled or affected by something stronger.
Example Sentence:
– He’s at the mercy of his cravings.
– She was at the mercy of caffeine.
Other ways to say: Controlled by, helpless against
Fun Fact/Origin: Common in U.S. media when talking about addiction or emotions.
Usage: Describes feeling powerless against addiction.
22. Fall into a pattern
Meaning: Repeating the same habit again and again.
Example Sentence:
– He fell into a pattern of staying up all night gaming.
– She fell into a pattern of overeating when stressed.
Other ways to say: Got stuck in a routine, repeat behavior
Fun Fact/Origin: Often used by therapists in the USA.
Usage: Describes how addiction becomes a cycle.
23. Under its spell
Meaning: Deeply affected or controlled by something.
Example Sentence:
– He’s under the spell of that game.
– She’s under its spell and can’t put her phone down.
Other ways to say: Hypnotized, obsessed
Fun Fact/Origin: From fairy tales but used in modern American talk.
Usage: Shows how hard it is to resist something addictive.
24. Tied to it
Meaning: Strongly connected and unable to separate.
Example Sentence:
– He’s tied to his phone 24/7.
– She feels tied to caffeine every morning.
Other ways to say: Stuck with, locked in
Fun Fact/Origin: Often used in everyday U.S. conversations.
Usage: Used for people who can’t break away from a habit.
25. Fall off the deep end
Meaning: Losing control or going too far with a habit.
Example Sentence:
– He fell off the deep end after getting hooked on junk food.
– She fell off the deep end with online shopping.
Other ways to say: Went too far, lost balance
Fun Fact/Origin: From swimming, where the deep end means danger.
Usage: Used for serious addiction or emotional issues.
26. Slave to the bottle
Meaning: Addicted to alcohol.
Example Sentence:
– He became a slave to the bottle after his divorce.
– She’s been a slave to the bottle for years.
Other ways to say: Alcoholic, dependent on drinking
Fun Fact/Origin: Very common in American AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) stories.
Usage: Only for alcohol addiction.
27. Drinking like a fish
Meaning: Drinking alcohol in large amounts.
Example Sentence:
– He was drinking like a fish at the party.
– She drinks like a fish every weekend.
Other ways to say: Heavy drinker
Fun Fact/Origin: Fish live in water, so the joke is they drink a lot—like some people.
Usage: Slang used in U.S. conversations.
28. Get your fix
Meaning: Getting what you’re addicted to.
Example Sentence:
– I need to get my coffee fix before class.
– He gets his video game fix after school.
Other ways to say: Get what you crave, satisfy the habit
Fun Fact/Origin: Started in drug use, now used casually for daily habits in the U.S.
Usage: Casual and light-hearted, even for small things.
29. Habit takes over
Meaning: The addiction starts to control behavior.
Example Sentence:
– When the habit takes over, it’s hard to stop.
– Her sugar habit took over her evenings.
Other ways to say: Loses control, ruled by habit
Fun Fact/Origin: Common in therapy and recovery talks.
Usage: Describes a turning point when addiction gains full control.
30. Like clockwork
Meaning: Happens regularly, like a routine.
Example Sentence:
– He checks his phone like clockwork every hour.
– She buys candy like clockwork on the way home.
Other ways to say: On schedule, like a habit
Fun Fact/Origin: American phrase from how machines work.
Usage: Used to describe repeated addiction-like actions.
31. Sucked in
Meaning: Pulled into something you can’t easily escape.
Example Sentence:
– He got sucked into gaming again.
– She was sucked in by junk food ads.
Other ways to say: Pulled in, trapped
Fun Fact/Origin: American slang often used for digital addiction.
Usage: Describes when someone easily gets pulled back into bad habits.
32. In too deep
Meaning: Too involved to easily stop.
Example Sentence:
– He’s in too deep with energy drinks.
– She’s in too deep with binge-watching.
Other ways to say: Stuck, can’t back out
Fun Fact/Origin: U.S. idiom used in movies and TV shows.
Usage: Describes when stopping is hard or too late.
33. Feeding the habit
Meaning: Doing things that keep the addiction going.
Example Sentence:
– He’s feeding the habit by staying up all night.
– She keeps feeding the habit with daily candy runs.
Other ways to say: Making it worse, keeping it alive
Fun Fact/Origin: “Feed” means to keep something going—used often in therapy.
Usage: Shows how addiction continues through small actions.
34. Trapped in the cycle
Meaning: Stuck in a repeating habit.
Example Sentence:
– He’s trapped in the cycle of eat, play, sleep.
– She feels trapped in the sugar cycle.
Other ways to say: Caught in a loop, going in circles
Fun Fact/Origin: Common phrase in American recovery programs.
Usage: Describes a hard-to-break routine.
35. Drawn to it
Meaning: Feeling pulled toward the habit or addiction.
Example Sentence:
– He’s drawn to video games after school.
– She’s always drawn to sweet snacks.
Other ways to say: Attracted to, tempted by
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the word “draw” meaning pull in American English.
Usage: Shows inner temptation.
36. Lost in it
Meaning: Fully focused or stuck in the addiction.
Example Sentence:
– He gets lost in his screen for hours.
– She’s lost in her phone every night.
Other ways to say: Zoned out, completely absorbed
Fun Fact/Origin: Popular in American youth culture.
Usage: Used for tech or entertainment addiction.
37. All-consuming
Meaning: Takes up all time, energy, or thought.
Example Sentence:
– Gaming became all-consuming for him.
– Her shopping habits are all-consuming.
Other ways to say: Overwhelming, full-time
Fun Fact/Origin: Used in U.S. media and counseling to describe intense habits.
Usage: When addiction controls most of someone’s life.
38. Going down that road
Meaning: Starting a habit that could lead to addiction.
Example Sentence:
– Be careful, or you’ll go down that road.
– He’s going down the road to addiction.
Other ways to say: Heading for trouble, risky path
Fun Fact/Origin: A common warning phrase in American English.
Usage: Used to warn about bad habits early on.
39. Hook, line, and sinker
Meaning: Completely addicted or caught up in something.
Example Sentence:
– He fell for the game hook, line, and sinker.
– She bought into the trend hook, line, and sinker.
Other ways to say: Fully into it, totally convinced
Fun Fact/Origin: From fishing, used in the U.S. for strong attraction or belief.
Usage: Used for intense involvement in something.
40. Hard to shake
Meaning: Difficult to stop or forget.
Example Sentence:
– That soda habit is hard to shake.
– It’s hard to shake his need for likes on social media.
Other ways to say: Tough to quit, sticks around
Fun Fact/Origin: Used in American speech for habits or memories.
Usage: Describes things that keep coming back.
41. On a binge
Meaning: Doing something too much in a short time.
Example Sentence:
– He went on a binge of energy drinks.
– She binged on cookies all weekend.
Other ways to say: Overdoing it, consuming a lot
Fun Fact/Origin: Became more common with “binge-watching” in the USA.
Usage: For food, shows, or even shopping.
42. Can’t say no
Meaning: Unable to resist temptation.
Example Sentence:
– He can’t say no to sugar.
– She can’t say no to online sales.
Other ways to say: Always gives in, no willpower
Fun Fact/Origin: Very common in everyday American speech.
Usage: Describes lack of self-control.
43. Out of hand
Meaning: Beyond control.
Example Sentence:
– His gaming got out of hand last year.
– The habit was getting out of hand.
Other ways to say: Out of control, wild
Fun Fact/Origin: From old U.S. phrases meaning “can’t manage.”
Usage: Describes habits that have become serious.
44. Can’t stop cold
Meaning: Can’t quit suddenly.
Example Sentence:
– He can’t stop cold, he needs to cut back slowly.
– She tried, but couldn’t stop cold.
Other ways to say: Needs time, can’t quit all at once
Fun Fact/Origin: A variation of “cold turkey,” common in U.S. addiction programs.
Usage: Describes someone needing gradual change.
45. Run its course
Meaning: Let the habit or urge pass on its own.
Example Sentence:
– Let the craving run its course.
– Sometimes the sugar rush just runs its course.
Other ways to say: Let it pass, ride it out
Fun Fact/Origin: Common in U.S. health and habit advice.
Usage: Used when someone waits for addiction or craving to fade.
Quiz: Idioms About Addiction
Instructions: Choose the correct meaning for each idiom. There is only one right answer for each. These are phrases you might hear in everyday life in the USA.
Question Key
1. What does “hooked” mean?
A) Feeling bored
B) Being addicted to something
C) Learning a new skill
2. If someone quits “cold turkey,” what are they doing?
A) Taking a break slowly
B) Quitting suddenly
C) Asking for help
3. What does “on the wagon” mean?
A) Trying a new job
B) Starting a hobby
C) Avoiding alcohol or addiction
4. If you “fall off the wagon,” what happened?
A) You made a new friend
B) You went back to an old addiction
C) You joined a sports team
5. What is a “monkey on your back”?
A) A fun activity
B) A backpack
C) A heavy addiction
6. If your craving “kicks in,” what is happening?
A) You feel full
B) You start to feel the need for something
C) You take a nap
7. What does it mean if you’re “jonesing” for soda?
A) You’re craving it
B) You want to avoid it
C) You forgot it
8. What happens when someone “hits rock bottom”?
A) They find a treasure
B) They reach their lowest point
C) They win a prize
9. What does “kick the habit” mean?
A) Make a habit stronger
B) Start a new habit
C) Quit a bad habit
10. If someone is a “slave to their phone,” what does that mean?
A) They control their phone
B) They use it too much
C) They fix phones
11. What does “feeding the habit” mean?
A) Helping the habit grow
B) Ignoring the habit
C) Ending the habit
12. What does “can’t get enough” mean?
A) Avoids it often
B) Is tired of it
C) Really loves it or is addicted
13. If someone is “in too deep,” what does it mean?
A) They are taking swimming lessons
B) They are stuck in a bad habit
C) They are playing in the snow
14. What does “out of hand” mean?
A) It’s fun to hold
B) It’s easy to manage
C) It’s out of control
15. What does “run its course” mean?
A) To let something pass on its own
B) To race with friends
C) To stop quickly
Answer Key
- B – Being addicted to something
- B – Quitting suddenly
- C – Avoiding alcohol or addiction
- B – You went back to an old addiction
- C – A heavy addiction
- B – You start to feel the need for something
- A – You’re craving it
- B – They reach their lowest point
- C – Quit a bad habit
- B – They use it too much
- A – Helping the habit grow
- C – Really loves it or is addicted
- B – They are stuck in a bad habit
- C – It’s out of control
- A – To let something pass on its own
Wrapping Up
Idioms about addiction help Americans talk about hard topics in a clear way. These sayings make it easier to understand what someone is going through. Whether it’s quitting a habit or feeling stuck, these phrases show how powerful addiction can be.
Learning these idioms helps young people in the USA talk better about health, habits, and feelings. They also help us support others who might need help.
