obsession

American  

[uhb-sesh-uhn] / əbˈsɛʃ ən /

noun

• obsessions
  plural

1. the domination of one's thoughts or feelings by a persistent idea, image, desire, etc.

2. the idea, image, desire, feeling, etc., itself.

3. the state of being obsessed.

4. the act of obsessing.

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obsession British  

/ əbˈsɛʃən /

noun

1. psychiatry a persistent idea or impulse that continually forces its way into consciousness, often associated with anxiety and mental illness

2. a persistent preoccupation, idea, or feeling

3. the act of obsessing or the state of being obsessed

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obsession Cultural  

1. A preoccupation with a feeling or idea. In psychology, an obsession is similar to a compulsion.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonobsession
  noun
• self-obsession
  noun
• nonobsessional
  adjective
• obsessional
  adjective
• obsessionally
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• obsessions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of obsession

First recorded in 1505–15; from Latin obsessiōn-, stem of obsessiō “blockade, siege,” from obsess(us) “occupied, besieged” (past participle of obsidēre “to occupy, besiege”; see obsess) + -iō -ion

Explanation

If you have an obsession, you're totally fixated on something and unhealthily devoted to it. Some common obsessions include fantasy football leagues, celebrity gossip, and Elvis memorabilia. Obsession is kind of like a passion for something that crosses the line into crazy territory. Sometimes people get so preoccupied with their obsessions that it makes them anxious or emotionally unstable. If you have an obsession with the Yankees, for example, you might go to every single game, skip work to watch spring training, paper your room with Yankees posters, and write love notes to Derek Jeter.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

obsession obsessions

Neece was raised 15 minutes away from Disneyland and developed an obsession with it early on.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

Eliza May’s novel, “Haeger Mass,” is a dark, weird tale of revenge and obsession that was denounced as immoral but attracted an intense cult following.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026

On top of that, the cultural obsession with efficiency doesn’t align with a diet that views cooking as a nourishing daily ritual.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 16, 2026

Their conversation explores characters who hide their true nature behind carefully constructed personas, the role of technology in enabling obsession and revenge, and the social rituals that define contemporary London.

From Slate ● Aug. 15, 2026

“We’re not the ones with an obsession, Harry! We’re the ones trying to do what Dumbledore wanted us to do!”

From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling

Episodes feature expert guests and range from conversations about conservation to memories of the birds that first sparked lifelong obsessions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026

In “The Dreamy Side,” Molina traces the roots of these cross-cultural musical obsessions to the early R&B scene in Los Angeles.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 4, 2026

This time the obsessions had the opposite effect.

From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2026

None of these three big investor obsessions is having a meaningful positive impact on Tesla’s financials.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 1, 2026

“The Sixers are really no different than a Gunter clan, albeit a well-funded one. We share all the same obsessions as gunters. And we have the same goal.”

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

Related Words

• compulsion
• delusion
• enthusiasm
• fascination
• infatuation
• mania
• passion
• phobia
• preoccupation