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.

The other benefit of being obsessed with the Christmas singles was that it helped you find the other weirdos.

From Salon

They don’t know what the current viral skin care product is, whether ankle socks are in or out, or why everyone is obsessed with protein.

From The Wall Street Journal

But as weeks of detention turned into months, Benjamin obsessed over the school semester, well underway.

From Los Angeles Times

"Maybe now the media will stop obsessing over these files," wrote Loomer, who has mentioned Epstein at least 200 times on X this year alone.

From BBC

“The Bear” star Jeremy Allen White has revealed he is “obsessed” with real estate and regularly spends his free time scrolling on the Realtor.com app, “fantasizing” about homes he might like to buy.

From MarketWatch

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