Synonyms

obsess

American

[uhb-ses] / əbˈsɛs /

verb (used with object)

to dominate or preoccupy the thoughts, feelings, or desires of (a person); beset, trouble, or haunt persistently or abnormally.

Suspicion obsessed him.

Synonyms:

haunt, control, possess

verb (used without object)

to think about something unceasingly or persistently; dwell obsessively upon something.

obsess British

/ əbˈsɛs /

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

obsessingly adverb
obsessor noun

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

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.

That win last May suggested the charming Yates, from Bury in Greater Manchester, had more to offer in a sport ever-more obsessed with youth.

From BBC

While the dominant culture seems, yet again, obsessed with appetite suppression, I am rediscovering appetite: earned appetite, physical appetite, the kind that shows up after exertion and politely demands to be honored.

From Salon

You can spend a long time obsessing about a baby’s first spoon, plate or bowl.

From The Wall Street Journal

It is a world in which people are obsessed with claiming their rights and not accepting their duties.

From The Wall Street Journal

Especially in event, wedding and party planning, you can obsess so much.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023