obsessive

[ uhb-ses-iv ]

/ əbˈsɛs ɪv /

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See synonyms for: obsessive / obsessiveness on Thesaurus.com

adjective

being, pertaining to, or resembling an obsession: an obsessive fear of illness.

causing an obsession.

excessive, especially extremely so.

noun

someone who has an obsession or obsessions; a person who thinks or behaves in an obsessive manner.

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Origin of obsessive

First recorded in 1910–15; obsess(ion) + -ive

OTHER WORDS FROM obsessive

ob·ses·sive·ly, adverbob·ses·sive·ness, nounnon·ob·ses·sive, adjectivenon·ob·ses·sive·ly, adverb

non·ob·ses·sive·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use obsessive in a sentence

Congressional oversight of the president should be obsessive to a Benghazian degree.
How Democrats should wage war on coming GOP obstructionism|Paul Waldman|November 30, 2020|Washington Post
Unless you happen to be the most obsessive running fan on planet Earth, neither Kemboi or Chemaimak’s name is likely to ring a bell.
Behind the Scenes of a Unique FKT Attempt in Kenya|Martin Fritz Huber|November 24, 2020|Outside Online
Some wonder that because he’s always been one of the most talented players wherever he has been, the obsessive preparation NFL quarterbacks must put in each week has not come naturally to him.
Alex Smith is the NFL’s best story, but Washington’s next few weeks are about Dwayne Haskins|Les Carpenter|November 11, 2020|Washington Post
Chain wax has long been the province of obsessives in pursuit of a few free watts of power—gains that are far too minimal for most riders to bother with.
You Should Hot-Wax Your Bike Chains. Here's Why.|Joe Lindsey|November 6, 2020|Outside Online

I somehow have to be obsessive about it or I drop it entirely.
A Number Theorist Who Solves the Hardest Easy Problems|Erica Klarreich|July 1, 2020|Quanta Magazine

British Dictionary definitions for obsessive

obsessive

/ (əbˈsɛsɪv) /

adjective

psychiatry motivated by a persistent overriding idea or impulse, often associated with anxiety and mental illness

continually preoccupied with a particular activity, person, or thing

noun

psychiatry a person subject to obsession

a person who is continually preoccupied with a particular activity, person, or thing

Derived forms of obsessive

obsessively, adverbobsessiveness, noun

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

obsessive

Origin of obsessive

OTHER WORDS FROM obsessive

Words related to obsessive

How to use obsessive in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for obsessive

Derived forms of obsessive