addictive vs. addicting

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Angry baby hates your stunted vocabulary

Attention, Internet in general (and I’m especially glaring at you here, Diggtards): addictive and addicting are not! frigging! synonyms!

This is the word addicting. Addicting is a transitive verb. A transitive verb requires a subject and one or more direct objects; for example, “Your improper use of the word ‘addicting’ is abusing my ears.” See what I did there? Abusing, verb, ears, direct object, your improper use of the word ‘addicting,’ subject. Get it? Got it? Good. Side note: if you use this word properly, it is an awkward f’ing word. Let it go.

This, on the other hand, is the word addictive. Addictive is a frigging adjective. It is, in fact, a word that can be used to describe something! As in, ‘ranting is addictive,’ or ’sandwiches are addictive,’ or ‘this Kool-Aid is so good it’s addictive!’ Get it? Addictive is used TO DESCRIBE SOMETHING THAT CAUSES AN ADDICTION.

You people need to quit frigging using addicting when you mean addictive. Oh, sure, you say ‘this cocaine is addicting,’ and you might mean ‘there is a specific property of this cocaine that is addicting me to its use,’ but guess what - you probably damn well don’t. You mean addictive, you English-language-abusing twit.

addictive:
1. Causing or tending to cause addiction: an addictive substance.
2. Characterized by or susceptible to addiction: an addictive personality.

addicting:
1. Causing to become physiologically or psychologically dependent on a habit-forming substance: The cocaine was addicting the thief.
2. Occupying (oneself) with or involving (oneself) in something habitually or compulsively: Playing so many video games was addicting the child.
3. NOT THE SAME DAMN THING AS ADDICTIVE, STOP IT, SWEET JESUS, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE

Just in case you were wondering, I’m not the only one who cares. I’m just more annoyed. The English language is already dying a slow, painful death - can we please stop buggering it in every available orifice? Thanks.

One Response to “addictive vs. addicting”

  1. j Says:
    June 28th, 2007 at 6:20 am

    your proper english is so good, its addictivating me to learn it gooder.