obsessive-compulsive disorder

noun

: a chronic disorder characterized by recurrent obsessions or compulsions or both that cause significant distress, are time-consuming, and interfere with normal daily functioning

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a chronic illness characterized by recurrent intrusive and disabling thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive stereotypical behavior (compulsions) that a person feels driven to perform.

—Robert Michels and Peter M. Marzuk

called also OCD

Examples of obsessive-compulsive disorder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This is a sign of trichotillomania, a rare condition on the obsessive-compulsive disorder spectrum.4 Tweezing Tweezing is a common method for removing unwanted stray hairs and shaping eyebrows. —Heather L. Brannon, Md, Verywell Health, 22 Mar. 2023

Tony Shalhoub — who won three Emmys for the role — will once again play Adrian Monk, a brilliant detective with obsessive-compulsive disorder. —Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Mar. 2023

Tony Shalhoub will once again star as Adrian Monk, the consulting detective who suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder and a wide range of phobias. —Joe Otterson, Variety, 15 Mar. 2023

Sometimes teammates openly share their experiences living with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), dyslexia, or anxiety. —Bryan Stallings, Quartz, 14 Mar. 2023

New research is exploring whether psychedelic drugs, taken under strict medical supervision, might help in treating post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic pain, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. —The Conversation, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2023

Use for depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder is on the table, according to a small 2020 study by Lipsman and a team of researchers. —Kristen Rogers, CNN, 15 Jan. 2023

Recurrent intrusive memories lie at the heart of certain mental illnesses, including post-traumatic stress disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. —Ingrid Wickelgren, Scientific American, 9 Dec. 2022

This is a proxy indicator of mental health conditions including anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. —Lucy Tu, Discover Magazine, 23 Nov. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

obsessive-compulsive disorder

noun

variants also obsessive-compulsive neurosis or obsessive-compulsive reaction

: a chronic disorder characterized by recurrent obsessions or compulsions or both that cause significant distress, are time-consuming, and interfere with normal daily functioning

Note: An individual with obsessive-compulsive disorder attempts to ignore or suppress persistent unwanted and intrusive thoughts, urges, or impulses or tries to minimize them or the distress they cause by performing a repetitive behavior (such as handwashing) or mental act (such as counting or silently repeating words).

called also OCD