Don LattinSteven Heller
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The most famous—or notorious—of the psychedelic drugs is LSD, a synthetic compound that is usually created in a lab but can also be derived from alkaloids found in some fungi. The other well-known psychedelics are psilocybin (likewise obtained from fungi) and mescaline (obtained from peyote cactus). How psychedelics produce their effects is still fairly mysterious, partly because research ceased for almost 20 years because of their reputation, but scientists are determined to find the answers and much research is now under way. Psychedelics are now used to treat anxiety in patients with cancer, and are being tested in the treatment of such serious conditions as severe depression, alcoholism, and drug addiction.
Examples of psychedelic in a Sentence
Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026
The long-running campaign against smoking could find reinforcements from the new wave of research into psychedelics.
—Will Stone, NPR, 10 Mar. 2026
Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026
Its psychedelic interludes exist to snap back into satisfying rhythms.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Psychedelic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/psychedelic. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
psychedelic
1 of 2 adjective
psychedelic
2 of 2 nounMedical Definition
psychedelic
1 of 2 noun
psychedelic
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