noun
junkie
JUHNG-kee
noun
1
Someone addicted to a drug, especially heroin.
"The clinic treats junkies trying to get clean."
2
Informally, someone with a strong, almost obsessive enthusiasm for something.
"She's a total news junkie, checking headlines every hour."
"He's an adrenaline junkie who loves extreme sports."
How to Use Junkie
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA drug addict, or informally, anyone hooked on something they can't get enough of.
When to use it
The drug-addiction sense can sound harsh or stigmatising; the "enthusiast" sense (news junkie, adrenaline junkie) is casual and generally not offensive.
Common pairings
heroin junkie
adrenaline junkie
news junkie
Word Forms
junkies plural
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The clinic treats _____ trying to get clean.
Etymology
Formed from junk (in its drug sense) plus the informal suffix -ie.