obsessive

adjective

ob·​ses·​sive äb-ˈse-siv How to pronounce obsessive (audio)
əb-
1
a
: tending to cause obsession
b
: excessive often to an unreasonable degree
2
: of, relating to, or characterized by obsession : deriving from obsession
obsessive noun
obsessively adverb
obsessiveness noun

Examples of obsessive in a Sentence

Many dancers are obsessive about their weight. He is an obsessive workaholic who never stops thinking about his job. an obsessive interest in space travel The new therapy is supposed to help people control their obsessive thoughts.
Recent Examples on the Web There are many charter schools that aim to address the problem of low achievement, often through an obsessive focus on test scores and discipline. Emma Green, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024 An obsessive quail hunter, Pickens designed and managed the ranch with upland birds in mind, and it’s been called a quail mecca by some. Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 7 Mar. 2024 Editors’ Picks The frenetic pace of the Trump years meant many Americans made Trump news an obsessive habit — or tuned out completely. Reid J. Epstein, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024 One way is to foreground your obsessive commitment to the role—but even that can strike a false note. Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024 Putin has an obsessive belief, repeated at length in his interview with Tucker Carlson on Feb. 8, that Ukraine is an inalienable part of Russia. TIME, 21 Feb. 2024 Neighboring states list additional eligible conditions, including Parkinson's disease, severe autism, obsessive compulsive disorder, sickle cell disease, anorexia, migraines and lupus. Journal Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2024 According to those close to Selena, Saldívar began to show obsessive behavior. Kelsie Gibson, Peoplemag, 17 Feb. 2024 The film’s working title is Stans, named after the obsessive title character of Eminem’s iconic 2000 song. Matthew Strauss, Pitchfork, 14 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'obsessive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1897, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of obsessive was in 1897

Dictionary Entries Near obsessive

Cite this Entry

“Obsessive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obsessive. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

obsessive

adjective
ob·​ses·​sive äb-ˈses-iv How to pronounce obsessive (audio)
əb-
: of, relating to, having, or being an obsession
obsessively adverb

Medical Definition

obsessive

1 of 2 adjective
ob·​ses·​sive äb-ˈses-iv, əb- How to pronounce obsessive (audio)
: of, relating to, causing, or characterized by obsession : deriving from obsession
obsessive behavior
obsessively adverb
obsessiveness noun

obsessive

2 of 2 noun
: an obsessive individual

More from Merriam-Webster on obsessive

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!