English Reference
Adjective

psychoactive

adj.
C1 Advanced UK /sˌaɪkəʊˈæktɪv/ psy·choac·tive

adj.describes a substance that changes how your mind works, usually by making you feel different or more alert. You use this word for things like coffee, tea, or medicine that affect your brain.

adj.relating to or capable of affecting the mind or mental processes. Often used to describe substances that alter consciousness or perception.


SIMPLE

Caffeine is a mild psychoactive substance found in coffee.

CONTEXTUAL

The researcher studied how different psychoactive compounds affect the brain's ability to process visual information.

COMPLEX

While many plants contain psychoactive alkaloids, only a few have been cultivated for their medicinal properties rather than their recreational effects.

There have long been fanciful tales of hippies getting high by licking toads, but these ones are the real deal: the world’s only known psychoactive animal.

The Guardian· 17 Aug 2026

Both pilots underwent routine post-flight screening for psychoactive substances, India's aviation ministry said.

BBC News· 15 Aug 2026

From psycho- + active.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated