<p>Which is the right one to use? For example, would it be correct to say, “That game is so addictive,” or is it better to say, “That game is so addicting?” I’ve always used addictive, but everyone always uses addicting.</p>
<p>I think the correct way is addictive.</p>
<p>^ ditto
I did a little cursory research: if you do a google search on “define: addictive” you get four results; do the same for “define: addicting” and you don’t get any results.</p>
<p>Huh. Good to know. I’ve always said ‘addicting’, but I’ll change.</p>
<p>I never thought about that. I don’t say stuff like that much, but when I do, I always use “addicting.” I guess I better switch to “addictive” now.</p>
<p>Neologisms ftw!</p>
<p>I believe that the two have different meanings. “Addictive”, to me, is passive-- that if chose to use or partake in something that is “addictive”, you could be come addicted. “Addicting”, however, is active-- something that will or is currently making you addicted. The conversion of an adjective into a gerund makes that difference. Granted, this might just be an insensible mix of linguistics and colloquialisms.</p>
<p>Oh, I get it, Welshie.</p>
<p>“That drug is addicting me to it.”</p>
<p>vs.</p>
<p>“That drug is addictive.”</p>
<p>?? right?</p>
<p>Sorta, yes. Here is another set of examples.</p>
<p>“I recently started watching Alias and simply cannot stop. That show is addicting (to me).”</p>
<p>“I hear that 24 is addictive, but I haven’t watched it.”</p>
<p>I think “addictive”, in addition to being passive, is also more general-- that it reference’s the general opinion (i.e. 24 is addictive, caffeine is addictive, heroin is addictive, etc., etc.). Addicting, in addition to being active, is more specific-- it requires personal confirmation of the addictiveness of certain things.</p>
<p>Oh, ok. Thanks for the clarification.</p>
<p>Before I start, I’d just like to inform you that I have no knowledge of any terminology related to grammar. I usually know if something sounds correct or incorrect just by reading it, and this saved me on the Writing section of the SAT. </p>
<p>So, now that that’s out of the way, would I be right in saying that ‘addictive’ is kind of like an adjective, while ‘addicting’ is kind of like a verb, even if it isn’t always used the way regular verbs are?</p>
<p>Yup. Well articulated, rockermcr.</p>
<p>Rockermcr-</p>
<p>I think it’s a bit more complicated than simply “adjective v. verb” here because the verb is being used as an adjective (i.e. “running water”). The issue is what using a verb as an adjective means.</p>
<p>I apologize for posting in this as lot. The truth is that none of this matters much, if at all. I’m just horribly bored at the end of summer with far too much discretionary time on my hands.</p>