Do you find that common terminology lacks the power or nuance needed to describe complex addictive behaviors and obsessions? When discussing dependency, using evocative, figurative language can communicate emotional depth far better than simple phrasing.
This guide unlocks a treasury of vivid Idioms for Addiction, providing rich idiomatic phrases to describe everything from a mild craving to a deep-seated obsession. Discover these powerful expressions to communicate dependency with both accuracy and compassion today!
Top 50 Idioms for Addiction
1. Hooked on a Neon Fishing Line
Meaning: Completely addicted and unable to escape.
In a Sentence:
Social media? Hooked on a neon fishing line since 2015.
He’s hooked on a neon fishing line to that game.
Other Ways to Say: Reel-life prisoner, Glow-bait junkie, Scroll-sinker
2. Chained to the Slot-Machine Siren
Meaning: Trapped by gambling addiction.
In a Sentence:
Vegas trip—chained to the slot-machine siren for days.
Crypto trading left her chained to the slot-machine siren.
Other Ways to Say: Lever-lunging captive, Jackpot jailbird, Coin-drop captive
3. Slave to the Scroll in a Dopamine Dungeon
Meaning: Addicted to endless phone scrolling.
In a Sentence:
TikTok—slave to the scroll in a dopamine dungeon.
She’s a slave to the scroll in a dopamine dungeon every night.
Other Ways to Say: Feed-fettered, Thumb-chained, Algorithm prisoner
4. Junkie for Likes in a Heart-Emoji Casino
Meaning: Obsessed with social media validation.
In a Sentence:
Every post—junkie for likes in a heart-emoji casino.
Teen influencer turned junkie for likes in a heart-emoji casino.
Other Ways to Say: Double-tap dealer, Validation vampire, Engagement addict
5. Trapped in a Caffeine IV Drip
Meaning: Severe coffee addiction.
In a Sentence:
Four espressos before noon—trapped in a caffeine IV drip.
Remote work made him trapped in a caffeine IV drip.
Other Ways to Say: Latte life-support, Espresso enema, Bean-blood transfusion
6. Shackled to the Shopping Cart in an Amazon Abyss
Meaning: Compulsive online shopping.
In a Sentence:
One-click checkout—shackled to the shopping cart in an Amazon abyss.
Prime Day turned her shackled to the shopping cart in an Amazon abyss.
Other Ways to Say: Cart-captive, Checkout chained, Package prisoner
7. Addicted to the Grind in a Level-Up Labyrinth
Meaning: Obsessed with productivity or gaming progression.
In a Sentence:
100-hour weeks—addicted to the grind in a level-up labyrinth.
MMORPG—addicted to the grind in a level-up labyrinth.
Other Ways to Say: XP slave, Badge-bound, Achievement addict
8. Married to the Bottle in a Whiskey Chapel
Meaning: Alcohol dependency.
In a Sentence:
Since the divorce—married to the bottle in a whiskey chapel.
He’s married to the bottle in a whiskey chapel again.
Other Ways to Say: Liquor lifelong, Cork-ringed, Shot-glass spouse
9. Glued to the Screen in a Blue-Light Prison
Meaning: Addicted to devices or streaming.
In a Sentence:
Netflix binge—glued to the screen in a blue-light prison.
Kids are glued to the screen in a blue-light prison all weekend.
Other Ways to Say: Pixel-pegged, Resolution captive, 4K chained
10. Chase the Dragon in a Smoke-Cloud Castle
Meaning: Pursuing heroin or an unattainable high.
In a Sentence:
Started with pills—now chasing the dragon in a smoke-cloud castle.
Fame left him chasing the dragon in a smoke-cloud castle.
Other Ways to Say: Vapor-vault hunter, Haze-high pilgrim, Cloud-nine crusader
11. Wired to the Feed in a News-Alert Matrix
Meaning: Obsessed with constant news updates.
In a Sentence:
Election night—wired to the feed in a news-alert matrix.
Doom-scrolling—wired to the feed in a news-alert matrix.
Other Ways to Say: Breaking-news battery, Push-notification puppet, Headline hostage
12. Sugar Rush Slave in a Candy-Store Cage
Meaning: Addicted to sweets.
In a Sentence:
Halloween aftermath—sugar rush slave in a candy-store cage.
She’s a sugar rush slave in a candy-store cage for donuts.
Other Ways to Say: Gummy-bear jail, Chocolate-bar captive, Sprinkle shackled
13. Captive to the Click in a Mouse-Trap Maze
Meaning: Addicted to online shopping or clicking.
In a Sentence:
Wish-list warrior—captive to the click in a mouse-trap maze.
Ad targeting got me captive to the click in a mouse-trap maze.
Other Ways to Say: Cursor-chained, Add-to-cart addict, Checkout clickbait
14. Nicotine Ninja in a Vape-Cloud Dojo
Meaning: Stealthy but heavy nicotine addiction.
In a Sentence:
Bathroom breaks—nicotine ninja in a vape-cloud dojo.
He’s a nicotine ninja in a vape-cloud dojo since college.
Other Ways to Say: Puff-pirate, Cloud-karate, Zero-nicotine never
15. Thrall to the Thrill in an Adrenaline Arena
Meaning: Addicted to extreme sports or danger.
In a Sentence:
Base jumping—thrall to the thrill in an adrenaline arena.
Day-trading—thrall to the thrill in an adrenaline arena.
Other Ways to Say: Rush-ring gladiator, Danger dopamine, Fear-fueled fiend
Related Post: 50 Idioms About Love to Add Romance to Speech
16. Bound by the Binge in a Series-Marathon Cell
Meaning: Compulsive TV watching.
In a Sentence:
New season dropped—bound by the binge in a series-marathon cell.
Weekend wasted—bound by the binge in a series-marathon cell.
Other Ways to Say: Episode shackled, Autoplay prisoner, Cliffhanger captive
17. Enslaved to the Scale in a Weight-Watching Gulag
Meaning: Obsessed with dieting or body image.
In a Sentence:
Calorie counting—enslaved to the scale in a weight-watching gulag.
Gym mirror—enslaved to the scale in a weight-watching gulag.
Other Ways to Say: Gram-guard, Macro-muzzled, BMI bondage
18. Leashed to the Likes in a Validation Kennel
Meaning: Needing constant social approval.
In a Sentence:
Every selfie—leashed to the likes in a validation kennel.
Influencer life—leashed to the likes in a validation kennel.
Other Ways to Say: Heart-collar, Comment kennel, Follower leash
19. Zombie for the Zone in a Runner’s High Cemetery
Meaning: Exercise addiction.
In a Sentence:
Marathon training—zombie for the zone in a runner’s high cemetery.
She’s a zombie for the zone in a runner’s high cemetery at 5 AM.
Other Ways to Say: Endorphin undead, Mileage mausoleum, Sweat-grave ghoul
20. Cuffed to the Controller in a Pixel Prison
Meaning: Video game addiction.
In a Sentence:
All-nighter—cuffed to the controller in a pixel prison.
Kids are cuffed to the controller in a pixel prison.
Other Ways to Say: Button-bound, Respawn restrained, Loot-box locked
21. Addicted to the Applause in a Spotlight Sanitarium
Meaning: Craving constant attention.
In a Sentence:
Karaoke nights—addicted to the applause in a spotlight sanitarium.
Reality TV—addicted to the applause in a spotlight sanitarium.
Other Ways to Say: Clap-crazy, Encore enslaved, Stage-light straitjacket
22. Shackled to the Sneaker Drop in a Hypebeast Cage
Meaning: Obsessed with limited-edition shoes.
In a Sentence:
Queue at midnight—shackled to the sneaker drop in a hypebeast cage.
Resell market—shackled to the sneaker drop in a hypebeast cage.
Other Ways to Say: Lace-locked, Box-fresh bound, Yeezy yard
23. Prisoner of the Pump in an Iron Temple
Meaning: Gym/workout addiction.
In a Sentence:
Twice a day—prisoner of the pump in an iron temple.
He’s a prisoner of the pump in an iron temple for gains.
Other Ways to Say: Rep-range restrained, Plate-loaded penitentiary, Swole-cell
24. Captive to the Cart in a Grocery-Store Spiral
Meaning: Food shopping addiction or overeating.
In a Sentence:
Midnight snacks—captive to the cart in a grocery-store spiral.
Stress eating—captive to the cart in a grocery-store spiral.
Other Ways to Say: Aisle-addicted, Checkout chained, Impulse-buy inmate
25. Glued to the Grindstone in a Workaholic Workshop
Meaning: Unable to stop working.
In a Sentence:
No weekends—glued to the grindstone in a workaholic workshop.
Startup life—glued to the grindstone in a workaholic workshop.
Other Ways to Say: Deadline dungeon, Overtime ogre, Burnout blacksmith
26. Tethered to the Trend in a Fashion-Week Frenzy
Meaning: Obsessed with following trends.
In a Sentence:
Every season—tethered to the trend in a fashion-week frenzy.
She’s tethered to the trend in a fashion-week frenzy on TikTok.
Other Ways to Say: Runway roped, Hashtag harnessed, Viral vogue victim
27. Bound to the Burn in a Tanning-Bed Tomb
Meaning: Tanning addiction.
In a Sentence:
Orange glow—bound to the burn in a tanning-bed tomb.
Beach season prep—bound to the burn in a tanning-bed tomb.
Other Ways to Say: UV vault, Bronze bondage, Glow-goaled grave
28. Ensnared by the Sale in a Discount Dungeon
Meaning: Compulsive bargain hunting.
In a Sentence:
Coupon clipping—ensnared by the sale in a discount dungeon.
Outlet mall—ensnared by the sale in a discount dungeon.
Other Ways to Say: Percent-off prison, Clearance captive, Markdown maze
29. Chained to the Chart in a Crypto Rollercoaster
Meaning: Obsessed with cryptocurrency prices.
In a Sentence:
Every dip—chained to the chart in a crypto rollercoaster.
He’s chained to the chart in a crypto rollercoaster 24/7.
Other Ways to Say: Candle-stick captive, Satoshi shackled, Moon-or-bust manic
30. Addicted to the Adrenaline in a Red-Bull Skydiving Club
Meaning: Thrill-seeking addiction.
In a Sentence:
Wingsuit flying—addicted to the adrenaline in a Red-Bull skydiving club.
Extreme sports—addicted to the adrenaline in a Red-Bull skydiving club.
Other Ways to Say: Wings-wired, Rush-rigged, Freefall fiend
31. Trapped in the Loop in a True-Crime Podcast Vortex
Meaning: Obsessed with dark content.
In a Sentence:
Can’t sleep—trapped in the loop in a true-crime podcast vortex.
She’s trapped in the loop in a true-crime podcast vortex every night.
Other Ways to Say: Murder-mystery manacled, Dateline dungeon, Cold-case captive
32. Fettered to the Filter in an Instagram Illusion
Meaning: Addicted to photo editing and perfection.
In a Sentence:
Every selfie—fettered to the filter in an Instagram illusion.
Facetune life—fettered to the filter in an Instagram illusion.
Other Ways to Say: Pixel-perfect prisoner, Valencia vault, Smooth-skin shackled
33. Bound by the Brew in a Craft-Beer Cathedral
Meaning: Beer enthusiast turned addict.
In a Sentence:
IPA flights—bound by the brew in a craft-beer cathedral.
He’s bound by the brew in a craft-beer cathedral every weekend.
Other Ways to Say: Hop-head hostage, Pint-pilgrim, Barrel-aged believer
34. Caged by the Craving in a Midnight Fridge Raid
Meaning: Nighttime eating addiction.
In a Sentence:
3 AM snacks—caged by the craving in a midnight fridge raid.
Stress eating—caged by the craving in a midnight fridge raid.
Other Ways to Say: Leftover locked, Neon-light nosher, Refrigerator restrained
35. Addicted to the Algorithm in a YouTube Rabbit Hole
Meaning: Endless video watching.
In a Sentence:
Started with one cat video—addicted to the algorithm in a YouTube rabbit hole.
Conspiracy theories—addicted to the algorithm in a YouTube rabbit hole.
Other Ways to Say: Autoplay arrested, Recommended restrained, Subscribe shackled
Related Post: 50 Idioms for Climate Change and Our Planet
36. Leashed to the Leaderboard in a Gaming Throne Room
Meaning: Competitive gaming obsession.
In a Sentence:
Rank grind—leashed to the leaderboard in a gaming throne room.
He’s leashed to the leaderboard in a gaming throne room all season.
Other Ways to Say: Elo enslaved, Trophy tethered, Win-rate warden
37. Slave to the Swipe in a Dating-App Carousel
Meaning: Addicted to dating apps.
In a Sentence:
Ghosted again—still slave to the swipe in a dating-app carousel.
Tinder thumb—slave to the swipe in a dating-app carousel.
Other Ways to Say: Match-muzzled, Profile prisoner, Heart-icon hooked
38. Bound to the Buzz in a Notification Nightmare
Meaning: Can’t ignore phone alerts.
In a Sentence:
Every ping—bound to the buzz in a notification nightmare.
Work chat—bound to the buzz in a notification nightmare.
Other Ways to Say: Vibration victim, Banner-bound, Do-not-disturb defier
39. Trapped in the Trend in a Viral Challenge Vortex
Meaning: Doing every internet challenge.
In a Sentence:
Ice bucket to crate—trapped in the trend in a viral challenge vortex.
TikTok teens—trapped in the trend in a viral challenge vortex.
Other Ways to Say: Dance-dupe, Hashtag hostage, For-you-page prisoner
40. Chained to the Challenge in a 75-Hard Bootcamp
Meaning: Extreme fitness/diet program obsession.
In a Sentence:
Day 60—chained to the challenge in a 75-Hard bootcamp.
No cheat meals—chained to the challenge in a 75-Hard bootcamp.
Other Ways to Say: Gallon-gulag, Workout warden, Discipline dungeon
41. Addicted to the Aesthetic in a Pinterest Palace
Meaning: Obsessed with perfect visuals.
In a Sentence:
Mood boards—addicted to the aesthetic in a Pinterest palace.
Home decor—addicted to the aesthetic in a Pinterest palace.
Other Ways to Say: Pin-prisoner, Vision-board vault, Curated captive
42. Fettered by the Fantasy in a Sports-Betting Casino
Meaning: Gambling on sports.
In a Sentence:
Parlay every weekend—fettered by the fantasy in a sports-betting casino.
He’s fettered by the fantasy in a sports-betting casino again.
Other Ways to Say: Point-spread prisoner, Over-under obsessed, Bookie bound
43. Captive to the Canvas in an Art-Supply Abyss
Meaning: Compulsive creating or buying art materials.
In a Sentence:
Never finishes—captive to the canvas in an art-supply abyss.
Hoarding paint—captive to the canvas in an art-supply abyss.
Other Ways to Say: Brush-bound, Palette prisoner, Easel enslaved
44. Hooked on the Hustle in a Side-Gig Sweatshop
Meaning: Multiple jobs addiction.
In a Sentence:
Three gigs—hooked on the hustle in a side-gig sweatshop.
No days off—hooked on the hustle in a side-gig sweatshop.
Other Ways to Say: Gig-economy chained, Paycheck prisoner, Burnout bound
45. Bound to the Beat in a Rave-Cave Rapture
Meaning: Party drug or nightlife addiction.
In a Sentence:
Every weekend—bound to the beat in a rave-cave rapture.
Festival season—bound to the beat in a rave-cave rapture.
Other Ways to Say: Bassline bondage, Neon-night captive, Drop-dependent
46. Enslaved to the Streak in a Duolingo Dungeon
Meaning: Obsessed with app streaks.
In a Sentence:
365 days—enslaved to the streak in a Duolingo dungeon.
Midnight lessons—enslaved to the streak in a Duolingo dungeon.
Other Ways to Say: Owl-obligated, Lesson-locked, Green-bird bound
47. Trapped in the Trade in a Stock-Market Simulator
Meaning: Day-trading addiction.
In a Sentence:
Robinhood red—trapped in the trade in a stock-market simulator.
He’s trapped in the trade in a stock-market simulator all day.
Other Ways to Say: Ticker-tethered, Chart-chained, Option obsessed
48. Addicted to the Aura in a Crystal-Collecting Coven
Meaning: Obsessed with spiritual items.
In a Sentence:
Full-moon buys—addicted to the aura in a crystal-collecting coven.
Sage and stones—addicted to the aura in a crystal-collecting coven.
Other Ways to Say: Chakra chained, Quartz captive, Vibes vault
49. Leashed to the Lens in a Selfie-Studio Cell
Meaning: Constant photo-taking addiction.
In a Sentence:
Every meal—leashed to the lens in a selfie-studio cell.
Ring light life—leashed to the lens in a selfie-studio cell.
Other Ways to Say: Front-cam fettered, Filter-fenced, Pose-prisoner
50. Slave to the Sound in a Playlist Purgatory
Meaning: Music streaming obsession.
In a Sentence:
Discover Weekly—slave to the sound in a playlist purgatory.
Spotify wrapped—slave to the sound in a playlist purgatory.
Other Ways to Say: BPM bound, Track-tethered, Headphone hostage
Exercise to Practice: Idioms for Addiction
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He spent the entire weekend staring at his four screens, monitoring price movements in constant terror and excitement, completely _______________________________________ as the volatile market swung wildly.
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She confessed that she couldn’t stand being alone and constantly sought public approval, feeling completely _______________________________________ every time she posted a new photo.
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The relentless pursuit of physical perfection, involving daily weigh-ins and calorie meticulous tracking, has turned her life into a rigid prison, making her feel _______________________________________.
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After the initial excitement of starting his new side business wore off, he realized he was actually _______________________________________, juggling three different jobs and never having a day off.
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He started his evenings with a single craft beer, but now he spends every weekend at the pub, lost in the complexity of new flavors, completely _______________________________________.
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The compulsive need to know what was happening globally, checking three different news apps every hour, kept him _______________________________________, despite the anxiety it caused.
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After his divorce, the man’s home became a sanctuary of self-pity, where he spent most nights alone, having become deeply _______________________________________ for comfort.
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The constant urge to acquire the latest, most exclusive trainers had him queuing outside stores at midnight, a dedicated collector _______________________________________ for the next limited drop.
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She realized that her habit of mindlessly scrolling through videos every night had become a major problem, as she was completely _______________________________________ until the early hours of the morning.
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The teenager, constantly chasing clout and virality, threw herself into dangerous and often foolish online trends, feeling _______________________________________ by the pressure to participate.
Answer Key
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Chained to the Chart in a Crypto Rollercoaster
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Leashed to the Likes in a Validation Kennel
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Enslaved to the Scale in a Weight-Watching Gulag
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Hooked on the Hustle in a Side-Gig Sweatshop
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Bound by the Brew in a Craft-Beer Cathedral
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Wired to the Feed in a News-Alert Matrix
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Married to the Bottle in a Whiskey Chapel
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Shackled to the Sneaker Drop in a Hypebeast Cage
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Slave to the Scroll in a Dopamine Dungeon
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Trapped in the Trend in a Viral Challenge Vortex
Conclusion
Simple, everyday language often fails to capture the complexity and gravity of addiction and compelling behaviors. It is time to use richer, more nuanced terminology when describing these powerful forms of dependency. By integrating these compelling Idioms for Addiction, you will add critical depth, insight, and emotional resonance to your communication. Discover further evocative expressions to elevate your articulation today!
Danny Weber is a language enthusiast and freelance writer with a passion for unpacking the beauty of idioms and metaphors. Through years of research and creative exploration, Danny helps readers understand the deeper meanings behind familiar phrases—making figurative language feel accessible, engaging, and alive. Whether he’s decoding classic sayings or crafting new twists on old expressions, Danny’s work invites you to see language with fresh eyes.
