neurotic

neurotic — adjective

1. A neurotic person experiences strong, unreasonable feelings of worry, fear, or n

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

A neurotic person experiences strong, unreasonable feelings of worry, fear, or nervousness — either because of a diagnosed mental health condition known as neurosis, or simply as a habit of overthinking ordinary everyday matters.

Example

Christopher's neurotic habits included checking the front door lock four times before bed.

attributive use describing a person's habitual worry

Adaeze admits she can be neurotic about keeping every item on her desk perfectly aligned.

predicative: be neurotic about [something]

Common collocations
  • neurotic behaviour
  • neurotic tendencies
  • neurotic about
  • become neurotic
Synonyms
  • anxious

    broader and less clinical; can describe a temporary mood, not just a personality trait

  • obsessive

    focuses on compulsive attention to detail or repeated thoughts, a common feature of neurotic behaviour

  • high-strung

    informal, mostly American English; describes someone easily upset or tense

  • tense

    emphasises physical and emotional tightness; less clinical and less severe

Antonyms
  • calm

    not easily worried or upset; the opposite of anxious behaviour

  • easygoing

    relaxed about things that a neurotic person would fret over; informal register

Grammar Patterns

neurotic + noun (attributive)

be + neurotic

be + neurotic + about + noun/gerund

Usage Note

In casual conversation, 'neurotic' is often used to describe someone who worries excessively about minor things — it does not necessarily imply a diagnosed mental illness. The clinical meaning refers specifically to neurosis, a condition in which a person experiences persistent anxiety while remaining in touch with reality (unlike psychosis).

Common Mistakes

I felt neurotic before the exam.
I felt nervous before the exam.
'nervous' describes a temporary feeling; 'neurotic' describes a lasting personality pattern or mental condition, not a one-time emotion.
He is neurotic and hears voices that are not there.
He is psychotic and hears voices that are not there.
'neurotic' keeps a grip on reality; hearing unreal voices is a symptom of psychosis, not neurosis.

neurotic — noun

Word family

  • neurosis
    nounC1
  • neurotically
    adverbC1
  • neuroticism
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe states of worry or unease, but they differ in severity and context. 'Anxious' is the broadest term — it can describe a temporary feeling (feeling anxious before a flight) or a long-term personality trait. 'Neurotic' is more specific: it implies a lasting pattern of unreasonable worry, often linked to a clinical condition (neurosis). 'Obsessive' focuses on compulsive, repetitive thoughts or actions, which is a common feature of neurotic behaviour but not the whole picture. 'High-strung' is an informal, chiefly American term for someone who is easily upset or tense, without any clinical connotation. 'Tense' emphasises physical and emotional tightness, and can be temporary or habitual. For example: 'Mira felt anxious before her job interview' (temporary) vs. 'Mira's neurotic fear of failure kept her from applying for better jobs' (lasting pattern).

anxious ↗obsessivehigh-strungtense ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • neurotic behaviour
  • neurotic tendencies
  • neurotic symptoms

Adverbs

  • extremely neurotic
  • almost neurotic
  • a bit neurotic
  • somewhat neurotic

Phrases

  • drive someone neurotic
  • become neurotic about

Etymology

GreekEnglish

The word 'neurotic' comes from the Greek word 'neuron' meaning 'nerve' or 'sinew', combined with the suffix '-otic' meaning 'affected with'. In the 1760s, the Scottish physician William Cullen invented the term 'neurosis' to describe disorders of the nervous system without a clear physical cause. From 'neurosis', the adjective 'neurotic' and the noun 'a neurotic' were formed in the 19th century. Over time, the meaning shifted from a technical medical label to also include everyday descriptions of anxious behaviour.