obsess
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
verb
-
(tr; when passive, foll by with or by) to preoccupy completely; haunt
-
(intr; usually foll by on or over) to worry neurotically or obsessively; brood
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
obsesssimple
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obsessessimple
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have obsessedperfect
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has obsessedperfect
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am obsessingprogressive
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are obsessingprogressive
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is obsessingprogressive
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have been obsessingperfect progressive
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has been obsessingperfect progressive
Past
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obsessedsimple
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had obsessedperfect
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was obsessingprogressive
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were obsessingprogressive
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had been obsessingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of obsess
1495–1505; < Latin obsessus, past participle of obsidēre to occupy, frequent, besiege, equivalent to ob- ob- + -sid ( ēre ) combining form of sedēre to sit 1
Explanation
If you obsess about something, you constantly think about it, like kids who obsess about their grades so much, they get upset before every test. Obsess comes from the Latin word obsessus, which means to besiege, the way obsessive thoughts can besiege, or attack, your mind. You can obsess about something, like the tiny spot on your shoes that no one can even see, or be obsessed, or haunted or preoccupied by something. For example, the memory of a big, delicious dinner could obsess a hungry man.
Vocabulary lists containing obsess
"Sisters" by Raina Telgemeier
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Counting by 7s
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"The last thing I want is for people to obsess about the cancer thing," the actor said, "because I'm not really interested in cancer, I'm not really interested in anything other than living."
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
Edgelords, of course, are too nonchalant to obsess.
From Salon ● Jun. 25, 2026
“You don’t have to obsess about the war as you might if in other energy sectors,” he says.
From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026
This is a real subculture that people obsess over and I just wanted to find an excuse to nerd about it and also teach people this kind of new era of battle rap.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 23, 2026
That's why people grow weary of listening to Dumpees obsess over their troubles: getting dumped is predictable, repetitive, and boring.
From "An Abundance of Katherines" by John Green
While everyone obsesses over what happens to oil flows in the Strait of Hormuz, a solar-power revolution is under way in some emerging countries.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026
And while America obsesses over building smarter models, China simply deploys imperfect AI anyway.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 3, 2025
Through his cousin Sony, who resides in a nearby halfway house and obsesses about the Civil War, Hai is hired by Home Market, where he scrubs counters and toilets and works the cash register.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 12, 2025
Some fans of it identify with a “patriot” movement that obsesses over the Founding Fathers and the American Revolution, he said.
From Seattle Times ● May 23, 2024
We inherit a past which weighs upon us and obsesses us, but in some degree each generation is born anew.
From Shelley, Godwin and Their Circle by Brailsford, Henry Noel
Officers also gave Jaxon, who is "obsessed" with the police, tickets to the force's police museum.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
Years ago, Rebecca became obsessed with barefoot shoes.
From Slate ● Jul. 16, 2026
Odysseus is obsessed with honor, and Mr. Nolan has likewise done everything in his considerable power to pay worthy cinematic tribute to one of our foundational texts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
“I’ve been playing that since my early 20s because I was obsessed with Bob Dylan and Joan Baez,” Price says, “and we got our hands on a copy of the ‘Rolling Thunder Revue.’
From Salon ● Jul. 14, 2026
“We’re kind of obsessed about this trade,” said Charlie.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
I soon found myself obsessing over whether I could add more panels—and where to put them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026
He compared autonomy to the development of Microsoft Word -- concentrating on swarms was like obsessing over the button that makes text italic, instead of the whole programme.
From Barron's ● May 15, 2026
“So are people that have been obsessing on modern art and modernism all their lives — they’re gonna be confounded by it.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 8, 2026
I would rather spend it figuring out how to enjoy adding something in than obsessing over what I need to cut out.
From Salon ● Feb. 18, 2026
“Don’t be disrespectful,” she said, reminding me of my manners, but I was already obsessing about my bleeding-nose problem.
From "Dead End in Norvelt" by Jack Gantos
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
