obsess

ob·sess

verb \əb-ˈses, äb-\

Definition of OBSESS

transitive verb

: to haunt or excessively preoccupy the mind of <was obsessed with the idea>

intransitive verb

: to engage in obsessive thinking : become obsessed with an idea

Examples of OBSESS

1. The war obsesses him—he talks about nothing else.
2. You need to stop obsessing and just deal with the problem.

Origin of OBSESS

Latin obsessus, past participle of obsidēre to frequent, besiege, from ob- against + sedēre to sit — more at ob-, sit

First Known Use: 1531

Rhymes with OBSESS

abscess, access, address, aggress, assess, bench-press, caress, clothespress, coatdress, cold-press, compress, confess, cross-dress, CS, depress, de-stress, digress, distress, drill press, egress, excess, express, finesse, fluoresce, French press, full-dress, handpress, headdress, housedress, idlesse, impress, ingress, Meknes, much less, nightdress, noblesse, no less, oppress, outguess, possess, precess, prestress, princess, process, profess, progress, recess, redress, regress, re-press, repress, shirtdress, side-dress, SS, success, sundress, suppress, tendresse, top-dress, transgress, undress, unless, web press, winepress, word stress

ob·sess

transitive verb \əb-ˈses, äb-\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of OBSESS

: to preoccupy intensely or abnormally <was obsessed with success>

intransitive verb

: to engage in obsessive thinking <solve problems rather than obsess about them—Carol Tavris>