psychedelic
psychedelic — adjective
- psychedelicpositive
- more psychedeliccomparative
- most psychedelicsuperlative
1. describes a drug that changes a person's normal mental state, often making them
describes a drug that changes a person's normal mental state, often making them perceive things that have no physical basis (hallucinations), feel emotions with unusual intensity, or sense that their sight, hearing, and touch have merged.
Rohan read a scientific article about how psychedelic drugs change the brain's normal activity.
psychedelic + noun for a substance
The clinic in Zurich uses psychedelic therapy to help patients overcome their fear of death.
Léa experienced visual hallucinations after taking a psychedelic compound during the research study.
Doctors are investigating whether small doses of psychedelic drugs can reduce anxiety in cancer patients.
- hallucinogenic
more clinical and precise; used in medical and scientific writing
- psychoactive
broader term that includes any substance affecting the mind, including caffeine and antidepressants
- mind-altering
informal, descriptive phrase used in journalism and everyday speech
文法句型
psychedelic + noun (substance/experience/therapy)
用法筆記
Frequently used before nouns that name substances (drug, compound, mushroom) or experiences (trip, therapy, state).
常見錯誤
2. describes visual art, clothing, or decoration that uses extremely bright colours
describes visual art, clothing, or decoration that uses extremely bright colours and complex, wavy shapes — similar to the visual effects people report experiencing under the influence of psychedelic drugs.
Gabriel bought a vintage poster covered in psychedelic swirls of purple, green, and yellow.
psychedelic + visual noun: swirls, pattern, colours, design
Apinya painted her bedroom walls with bright psychedelic patterns that felt dizzying.
Walid wore a psychedelic shirt with zigzag lines to the carnival parade.
Minho's album had a psychedelic font that looked like dripping paint.
- kaleidoscopic
emphasises shifting patterns and many colours, but without the drug-culture association
- trippy
very informal slang; suggests strange, colourful, or disorienting visuals
- vivid
general term for bright colours, without the specific pattern or 1960s reference
文法句型
psychedelic + noun (pattern/design/colours)
用法筆記
Common in descriptions of 1960s and 1970s visual culture; often paired with nouns related to fashion, posters, album covers, and interior design.
常見錯誤
3. describes a style of rock music from the mid-to-late 1960s, known for unusual re
describes a style of rock music from the mid-to-late 1960s, known for unusual recording techniques, long instrumental passages, dreamlike lyrics, and an attempt to mirror the sensations of a hallucinogenic drug trip.
Matthew's father plays his psychedelic rock records from the 1960s on an old turntable.
psychedelic + music-related noun: rock, music, band, sound
The band's psychedelic sound came from playing the guitar through special effects pedals.
Nia wrote a school report linking psychedelic music to the anti-war movement in America.
The 1967 music festival featured several psychedelic bands that used sitars and strange electronic noises.
- acid rock
a subgenre of psychedelic rock from the same era, often with a heavier, more experimental sound
- psychedelia
the broader cultural and musical movement of the 1960s associated with psychedelic rock
文法句型
psychedelic + music noun (rock/band/sound)
用法筆記
Typically modifies music-related nouns such as 'rock', 'music', 'band', 'sound', and 'era'. Refers specifically to the late-1960s genre and its associated culture, not to modern music with similar effects.
常見錯誤
psychedelic — noun
1. a chemical substance, such as LSD or psilocybin mushrooms, that causes major cha
a chemical substance, such as LSD or psilocybin mushrooms, that causes major changes in how the mind works — especially hallucinations, altered perception of time and space, and powerful emotional responses.
The police arrested a man for selling psychedelics to students outside the university.
Anong had never tried any psychedelics, but she was curious about their effects on creativity.
plural form: psychedelics for the category of drugs
Scientists believe that certain psychedelics might help people quit smoking or drinking alcohol.
Caleb warned his younger brother about the risks of taking powerful psychedelics without medical supervision.
- hallucinogen
the neutral clinical term for drugs that cause hallucinations; used in medical and legal contexts
- entheogen
a term used for psychedelics taken in spiritual or religious ceremonies
文法句型
take/use + psychedelic(s)
用法筆記
Often appears in the plural form 'psychedelics' when referring to the category of drugs in general. The singular 'a psychedelic' is used when naming a specific substance.