compulsive

American  

[kuhm-puhl-siv] / kəmˈpʌl sɪv /

adjective

1. compelling; compulsory.

2. Psychology.

   1. pertaining to, characterized by, or involving compulsion.

      a compulsive desire to cry.

   2. governed by an obsessive need to conform, be scrupulous, etc., coupled with an inability to express positive emotions.

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noun

1. Psychology.  a person whose behavior is governed by a compulsion.

compulsive British  

/ kəmˈpʌlsɪv /

adjective

1. relating to or involving compulsion

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noun

1. psychiatry an individual who is subject to a psychological compulsion

Other Word Forms

• compulsively adverb
• compulsiveness noun
• compulsivity noun
• noncompulsive adjective
• noncompulsively adverb
• quasi-compulsive adjective
• quasi-compulsively adverb
• uncompulsive adjective
• uncompulsively adverb

Etymology

Origin of compulsive

First recorded in 1595–1605; obsolete compulse, verb (from Latin compuls(us), past participle of compellere; compulsion ) + -ive

Example Sentences

Patients describe sleepless nights, compulsive news checking and physical agitation.

From The Wall Street Journal

But there’s yet another reason for his compulsive dredging up of 2020, and it has everything to do with the future, not the past.

From Salon

Nick soon begins to soothe his fears and heal his trauma with the compulsive ritual of solitary fishing.

From The Wall Street Journal

Through ERP patients are helped to manage their anxiety by gradually being exposed to their fears, while preventing them from performing their usual compulsive behaviours.

From BBC

The marketing method has been criticised for encouraging gambling-like behaviour and compulsive buying.

From BBC

Related Words

• enthusiastic
• irresistible
• passionate
• uncontrollable