Definition of "habit-forming" [habit-forming]

• Capable of leading to physiological or psychological dependence: a habit-forming drug. (adjective)
• Tending to become habitual: The taste of success can be habit-forming. (adjective)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Not at all, it is habit-forming, which is not to say its addictive."
• "ADHD drugs generally act as a stimulant to alleviate symptoms but can be habit-forming and associated with side effects such as increased heart rate and loss of appetite."
• "And perhaps, pornography is the perfect analogy — titillating, unrealistic, demeaning, exploitative, a poor substitute for the real thing, but alluring and potentially habit-forming."