Sometimes, people get used to something so much that they feel they can’t stop. This can be food, games, or even watching TV. When people talk about this, they often use special phrases called idioms. Idioms are short sayings that don’t mean exactly what the words say. They help people describe things in a fun or simple way.
In this article, we will look at idioms that people use to talk about addiction. These idioms help others understand how someone feels or what they’re going through. We will learn what these sayings mean and how people use them.
Idioms for Addiction
1. Hooked on
Meaning: Really liking something and not wanting to stop.
To Provide an Example: Tim is hooked on playing video games after school. / Sarah is hooked on chocolate ice cream.
Alternative Meaning: It can also mean someone is stuck doing something every day. / Like being hooked on watching cartoons every morning.
2. Can’t Put It Down
Meaning: Liking something so much you don’t want to stop.
To Provide an Example: Mike can’t put down his new book about animals. / Lily can’t put down her tablet when she plays games.
Alternative Meaning: Sometimes used when someone won’t stop using a phone or toy. / Like when a kid plays with a toy all day.
3. Addicted To
Meaning: Needing something all the time.
To Provide an Example: Emma is addicted to her favorite TV show. / John says he’s addicted to soda.
Alternative Meaning: Can also mean a habit you can’t stop, like always needing snacks. / Or always needing to play with a certain toy.
4. Can’t Get Enough Of
Meaning: Wanting something over and over.
To Provide an Example: Jake can’t get enough of soccer. / Mia can’t get enough of pancakes.
Alternative Meaning: Also means loving something too much. / Like wanting to hear the same song again and again.
5. Glued To
Meaning: Not moving away from something.
To Provide an Example: He’s glued to the TV every night. / She’s glued to her phone at lunch.
Alternative Meaning: Can mean focusing too much on one thing. / Like being glued to a video game.
6. Can’t Stop
Meaning: Not being able to quit something.
To Provide an Example: I can’t stop eating popcorn at the movies. / She can’t stop singing that song.
Alternative Meaning: Also means doing something too often. / Like when someone can’t stop talking about a game.
7. Stuck On
Meaning: Always doing the same thing.
To Provide an Example: He’s stuck on his racing game. / She’s stuck on that one cartoon.
Alternative Meaning: Sometimes means having one favorite and not changing. / Like being stuck on one snack.
8. Obsessed With
Meaning: Thinking about something all the time.
To Provide an Example: Kevin is obsessed with dinosaurs. / Megan is obsessed with her new shoes.
Alternative Meaning: Also means caring too much about one thing. / Like always wanting to draw the same picture.
9. Can’t Live Without
Meaning: Feeling like you need something all the time.
To Provide an Example: I can’t live without my stuffed bear. / She can’t live without her favorite cereal.
Alternative Meaning: Means something is very important to you. / Like a toy or a snack.
10. Crazy About
Meaning: Liking something a lot.
To Provide an Example: He’s crazy about LEGOs. / She’s crazy about unicorns.
Alternative Meaning: Means being really into something. / Like drawing the same animal every day.
11. Always On My Mind
Meaning: Thinking about something often.
To Provide an Example: Pizza is always on my mind. / Her cat is always on her mind.
Alternative Meaning: Also means loving or missing something. / Like thinking about a pet all day.
12. One More Time
Meaning: Wanting to do something again and again.
To Provide an Example: He always wants to ride the slide one more time. / She asks to hear the song one more time.
Alternative Meaning: Can mean not wanting to stop something fun. / Like reading the same book again.
13. Over the Moon For
Meaning: Very happy about something.
To Provide an Example: He’s over the moon for his new game. / She’s over the moon for her birthday gift.
Alternative Meaning: Means being super excited. / Like jumping around when you get a treat.
14. Got the Bug
Meaning: Started liking something a lot.
To Provide an Example: He got the bug for puzzles. / She got the bug for painting.
Alternative Meaning: Also means finding a new favorite thing. / Like getting into building blocks.
15. Bitten By the Bug
Meaning: Suddenly liking something.
To Provide an Example: He was bitten by the soccer bug. / She was bitten by the baking bug.
Alternative Meaning: Means you find a new fun thing and love it. / Like drawing every day after one good picture.
16. In Love With
Meaning: Liking something a lot.
To Provide an Example: He’s in love with peanut butter sandwiches. / She’s in love with her new shoes.
Alternative Meaning: Means you think something is very special. / Like hugging your toy every day.
17. Stuck Like Glue
Meaning: Staying very close to something or someone.
To Provide an Example: He’s stuck like glue to his video game. / She’s stuck like glue to her tablet.
Alternative Meaning: Can mean not letting go of something. / Like always holding a blanket.
18. Eats It Up
Meaning: Enjoys it a lot.
To Provide an Example: He eats up every story about pirates. / She eats up all her macaroni fast.
Alternative Meaning: Means liking something quickly or excitedly. / Like loving every minute of a cartoon.
19. All About
Meaning: Very focused on one thing.
To Provide an Example: He’s all about race cars right now. / She’s all about space rockets.
Alternative Meaning: Means it’s your top interest. / Like drawing only one thing over and over.
20. Tied To
Meaning: Always with it or near it.
To Provide an Example: He’s tied to his favorite blanket. / She’s tied to her backpack, even at home.
Alternative Meaning: Can mean not wanting to let go. / Like not sharing your favorite toy.
21. All In
Meaning: Fully into something.
To Provide an Example: He’s all in when he plays soccer. / She’s all in when she draws pictures.
Alternative Meaning: Can mean trying your best because you love it. / Like practicing a lot for fun.
22. Sucked In
Meaning: Caught up and can’t stop.
To Provide an Example: He gets sucked into his cartoons. / She gets sucked into a game and forgets time.
Alternative Meaning: Can mean it grabs your full attention. / Like not hearing someone call your name.
23. Wrapped Up In
Meaning: So into something you forget other things.
To Provide an Example: He’s wrapped up in building his tower. / She’s wrapped up in her coloring book.
Alternative Meaning: Also means focusing too hard on one thing. / Like not coming to dinner because of a game.
24. Deep In
Meaning: Very busy with or focused on something.
To Provide an Example: He’s deep in his drawing. / She’s deep in her puzzle.
Alternative Meaning: Can mean very interested in what you’re doing. / Like losing track of time.
25. Into It
Meaning: Really liking or enjoying something.
To Provide an Example: He’s really into baseball. / She’s into baking cookies.
Alternative Meaning: Means you think it’s fun and cool. / Like wanting to talk about it all the time.
26. In Too Deep
Meaning: So into it that stopping is hard.
To Provide an Example: He’s in too deep with video games. / She’s in too deep with her favorite book.
Alternative Meaning: Can mean forgetting about other things. / Like skipping lunch to keep playing.
27. Lives and Breathes
Meaning: It’s the only thing someone thinks about.
To Provide an Example: He lives and breathes baseball. / She lives and breathes her art.
Alternative Meaning: Can mean you love it more than anything else. / Like dreaming about it, too.
28. Hard to Quit
Meaning: Not easy to stop doing.
To Provide an Example: Candy is hard to quit for him. / Her tablet is hard to quit.
Alternative Meaning: Can mean something you do too much. / Like always asking for more screen time.
29. Drawn To
Meaning: Always wanting to go to it.
To Provide an Example: He’s drawn to his toy cars. / She’s drawn to her art supplies.
Alternative Meaning: Can mean you like being around it. / Like going to the same shelf every day.
30. Goes Back To
Meaning: Keeps choosing it again.
To Provide an Example: He always goes back to playing that game. / She goes back to reading the same book.
Alternative Meaning: Means it’s a favorite thing to do again. / Like picking the same seat at lunch.
31. Just One More
Meaning: Asking to do it again and again.
To Provide an Example: He always wants just one more cookie. / She asks for just one more game.
Alternative Meaning: Means someone doesn’t want to stop. / Like asking for another story at bedtime.
32. Stuck In a Loop
Meaning: Doing the same thing again and again.
To Provide an Example: He’s stuck in a loop playing the same song. / She’s stuck in a loop watching cartoons.
Alternative Meaning: Can mean something feels like it repeats. / Like asking the same question every day.
33. Can’t Stay Away
Meaning: Always coming back to it.
To Provide an Example: He can’t stay away from the candy jar. / She can’t stay away from her drawing table.
Alternative Meaning: Means something keeps pulling you back. / Like peeking at your gift before your birthday.
34. All the Time
Meaning: Happening very often.
To Provide an Example: He plays with LEGOs all the time. / She talks about horses all the time.
Alternative Meaning: Can mean a habit that never stops. / Like always choosing the same lunch.
35. Always Reaching For
Meaning: Always wanting or picking something.
To Provide an Example: He’s always reaching for chips. / She’s always reaching for her tablet.
Alternative Meaning: Can mean you always go to the same thing first. / Like grabbing your toy before anything else.
36. Eats, Sleeps, and Breathes
Meaning: Doing something so much it feels like your whole life.
To Provide an Example: He eats, sleeps, and breathes football. / She eats, sleeps, and breathes drawing.
Alternative Meaning: Means it’s part of everything you do. / Like thinking about it morning to night.
37. Can’t Say No
Meaning: Finding it hard to turn it down.
To Provide an Example: He can’t say no to cookies. / She can’t say no to another game.
Alternative Meaning: Means always giving in to a want. / Like saying yes to candy every time.
38. Crazy For
Meaning: Liking something very much.
To Provide an Example: He’s crazy for pizza. / She’s crazy for music.
Alternative Meaning: Can mean you talk about it a lot. / Like always showing your new toy.
39. Hung Up On
Meaning: Can’t stop thinking about something.
To Provide an Example: He’s hung up on a game he lost. / She’s hung up on her drawing not being perfect.
Alternative Meaning: Also means stuck on one idea or thing. / Like not moving on to a new activity.
40. Too Into
Meaning: Liking it too much.
To Provide an Example: He’s too into his games. / She’s too into making slime.
Alternative Meaning: Can mean spending too much time on it. / Like skipping other things to do your favorite.
41. Won’t Let Go
Meaning: Holding on and not giving up something.
To Provide an Example: He won’t let go of his toy car. / She won’t let go of her favorite book.
Alternative Meaning: Means it feels too important to stop. / Like carrying it everywhere.
42. Eyes Glued On
Meaning: Watching or looking without stopping.
To Provide an Example: His eyes are glued on the screen. / Her eyes are glued on the movie.
Alternative Meaning: Means full focus and no breaks. / Like not even blinking sometimes.
43. Overdoing It
Meaning: Doing something too much.
To Provide an Example: He’s overdoing it with candy. / She’s overdoing it with games.
Alternative Meaning: Can mean going past what’s okay. / Like not stopping even when tired.
44. Deep Dive
Meaning: Getting fully into something.
To Provide an Example: He took a deep dive into space books. / She took a deep dive into drawing.
Alternative Meaning: Means learning or doing one thing a lot. / Like reading only animal books for weeks.
45. Never Enough
Meaning: Wanting more all the time.
To Provide an Example: One cookie is never enough for him. / Ten minutes on the tablet is never enough.
Alternative Meaning: Means always asking for extra. / Like saying “just five more minutes” again.
46. Won’t Stop
Meaning: Keeps going, even when told not to.
To Provide an Example: He won’t stop singing that song. / She won’t stop jumping on the bed.
Alternative Meaning: Can mean someone really loves what they’re doing. / Like not wanting to end playtime.
47. Feeds Off
Meaning: Gets more energy from doing it.
To Provide an Example: He feeds off winning at games. / She feeds off people clapping after her dance.
Alternative Meaning: Can mean something makes you want more. / Like smiling when others cheer you on.
48. Taken Over By
Meaning: It’s all you can think about.
To Provide an Example: He’s taken over by the new game. / She’s taken over by thoughts of her party.
Alternative Meaning: Means it fills up your head and time. / Like planning it even during class.
49. Eats It All Up
Meaning: Enjoys everything about it.
To Provide an Example: He eats up every part of the science show. / She eats up the new story her teacher reads.
Alternative Meaning: Means loving every second. / Like smiling and laughing the whole time.
50. Can’t Pull Away
Meaning: Can’t stop or leave it alone.
To Provide an Example: He can’t pull away from the video game. / She can’t pull away from the coloring book.
Alternative Meaning: Can mean it’s too fun to pause. / Like forgetting the time while playing.
Trials for Success: Idioms for Addiction
- Jackson is so __________ to his video games that he plays every day after school.
- Emily is __________ to her tablet and doesn’t want to eat dinner.
- Noah is __________ about LEGOs and builds something new every day.
- Olivia was __________ by the bug and now wants to bake cookies every weekend.
- Aiden’s eyes were __________ to the cartoon, and he didn’t hear his mom call him.
- Mia is always __________ for gummy bears at snack time.
- Liam __________ his dinosaur books he reads them all the time.
- Ava can’t __________ her favorite blanket, even during lunch.
- Ethan gets __________ into his drawing and forgets the time.
- Sophia says, “Just __________!” every time her dad says screen time is over.
- Logan is __________ like glue to his dog, even at the park.
- Isabella __________ and breathes cheerleading she practices every day.
- Mason is __________ in a loop and listens to the same song over and over.
- Harper can’t __________ away from her coloring book, even when it’s bedtime.
- Lucas is __________ to his toy truck and takes it to school every day.
Answer Key
- addicted
- glued
- crazy
- bitten
- glued
- reaching
- eats up
- let go of
- sucked
- one more time
- stuck
- lives
- stuck
- pull
- hooked
Conclusion
Idioms help us talk about things in a fun and easy way. When people really like something and can’t stop doing it, they often use these sayings.
Now you know many idioms that people use for addiction. You can hear them at school, at home, or with friends. Try using one when you see someone doing the same thing again and again like always playing a game or eating the same snack. These short phrases can help you understand and share ideas better.