compulsive
[ kuhm-puhl-siv ]
/ kəmˈpʌl sɪv /
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adjective
compelling; compulsory.
Psychology.
- pertaining to, characterized by, or involving compulsion: a compulsive desire to cry.
- governed by an obsessive need to conform, be scrupulous, etc., coupled with an inability to express positive emotions.
noun
Psychology. a person whose behavior is governed by a compulsion.
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Origin of compulsive
First recorded in 1595–1605; obsolete compulse, verb (from Latin compuls(us), past participle of compellere; see compulsion) + -ive
OTHER WORDS FROM compulsive
WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH compulsive
compulsive , impulsiveDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for compulsive
To her credit, Carol openly admits that Harry is a “money pit,” with a long and pricey daily prescription list for his arthritis, chronic colitis, cracked paw pads and a range of obsessive-compulsive behaviors.
Maren Larsen, Buyer’s Guide deputy editorI read Strangers Drowning, a book by Larissa MacFarquhar about extreme, seemingly compulsive altruists.
I have used this compulsiveness to jump start myself in foreign languages.
British Dictionary definitions for compulsive
compulsive
/ (kəmˈpʌlsɪv) /
adjective
relating to or involving compulsion
noun
psychiatry an individual who is subject to a psychological compulsion
Derived forms of compulsive
compulsively, adverbcompulsiveness, nounCollins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Medical definitions for compulsive
compulsive
[ kəm-pŭl′sĭv ]
adj.
Caused or conditioned by compulsion or obsession.
n.
A person with behavior patterns governed by a compulsion.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.