Neurotic Meaning
/n(j)ʊəˈɹɒtɪk/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
adjAffected with a neurosis.
adjOverly anxious.
Sentence Examples
Mary's getting more neurotic the older she gets.
I don't think I'm neurotic.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
A person who is often excessively worried and anxious is described as ____.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He tended to be quite ____ about small details, often worrying without reason.
Word Origin & History
Formed of neuro- (“of nerves or the nervous system”) + -otic (“having abnormal condition”). The initial element, in turn, is from Ancient Greek νεῦρον (neûron, “nerve”). Attested from the 17th century. Compare French névrotique.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"If there were such a thing as inspiration from a higher realm, it might well be that the neurotic temperament would furnish the chief condition of the requisite receptivity."
— 1902, William James, “Lecture I”, in The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature […] , New York, N.Y.; London: Longmans, Green, and Co. […], →OCLC:
"“I don't mean all of your friends—only a small proportion—which, however, connects your circle with that deadly, idle, brainless bunch—the insolent chatterers at the opera, the gorged dowagers, the worn-out, passionless men,[…], the speed-mad fugitives from the furies of ennui, the neurotic victims of mental cirrhosis,[…]!”"
— 1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter VI, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:
"“You did come down a wallop, didn't you? How art thou fallen from heaven, oh Lucifer, son of the morning, I said to myself. You're so terribly neurotic, Bertie. You must try to be less jumpy. What you need is a good nerve tonic.”"
— 1960, P[elham] G[renville] Wodehouse, chapter VIII, in Jeeves in the Offing, London: Herbert Jenkins, →OCLC:
"Elisheva Lambert called herself a “totally neurotic Jew from Toronto who is doing everything my parents didn’t want me to.[…]”"
— 2002 January 17, Alina Tugend, “Reaching Out, With Cheek, to Young Jewish Readers”, in Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, Calif.: Los Angeles Times Communications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 29 Jan 2023:
"DYSART: ...Advanced neurotics can be dazzling at that game. They aim unswervingly at your area of maximum vulnerability..."
— 1973, Peter Shaffer, “Act I”, in Equus, pages 56-7:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
A person who is often excessively worried and anxious is described as ____.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He tended to be quite ____ about small details, often worrying without reason.