obsess
verb (used with object)
to dominate or preoccupy the thoughts, feelings, or desires of (a person); beset, trouble, or haunt persistently or abnormally.
had obsessed
-
past perfectof obsess.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
But on cross-examination, Kaley also revealed her mother had obsessed over her appearance, sometimes leaving her at school while she went to the gym.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 27, 2026
Yet with data - any kind of data - coming in, journalists and commentators who had obsessed over the campaign for more than a year sometimes couldn’t help themselves.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 3, 2020
Yet with data — any kind of data — coming in, journalists and commentators who had obsessed over the campaign for more than a year sometimes couldn’t help themselves.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 3, 2020
The image of ornate countertenor lines rotating within an orb of choral sound had obsessed me for quite some time before I knew exactly what I wanted to write; it really was the starting point.
From New York Times ● Jul. 22, 2016
It meant a retreat from the very florid and ornate polyphony that had obsessed composers for a hundred years.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
