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Definition of compulsive
1 : having power to compel forced to resort to compulsive measures
2 : of, relating to, caused by, or suggestive of psychological compulsion or obsession compulsive actions a compulsive gambler compulsive eating
compulsively
adverbcompulsiveness
nounExplore Merriam-Webster
Examples of compulsive in a Sentence
his compulsive clowning around can sometimes be annoying
Recent Examples of compulsive from the Web
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There's a good story behind why post-punk icon Tommy Stinson, the jittery, compulsive and combustible engine of the Replacements, is bringing his acoustic tour to Louisville's Surface Noise Records.
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At its heart has been a compulsive obsession, not so much with defense as with narrative—
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And a compulsive politician is what Bill Clinton has been since high school—but not a ruthless one.
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Omeros, which is headquartered on Seattle’s waterfront near Queen Anne, develops drugs to treat diseases including Huntington’s disease, kidney disease and compulsive disorders.
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Green talked about his struggles with obsessive compulsive disorder during a NerdCon: Stories convention speech last October in Minneapolis.
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McLean, born in the tiny cotton center of Maxton in 1913, was a compulsive entrepreneur, a man who was always thinking about business.
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The show focuses on Grint’s character, Daniel, an insurance rep and compulsive liar who is misdiagnosed with a terminal illness and decides to keep the charade going with his friends and family.
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LOSER: Compulsive gamblers Edwards and the Legislature have created a new law that allows people to spend money more easily at video poker machines.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'compulsive'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of compulsive
see compulsion
Other Psychology Terms
COMPULSIVE Defined for English Language Learners
compulsive
playDefinition of compulsive for English Language Learners
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: caused by a desire that is too strong to resist : impossible to stop or control
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: not able to stop or control doing something
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: very interesting
Medical Dictionary
Medical Definition of compulsive
: of, relating to, caused by, or suggestive of psychological compulsion or obsession repetitive and compulsive behavior compulsive hoarding a compulsive gambler
compulsively
adverbcompulsiveness
nouncompulsivity
\kəm-ˌpəl-ˈsiv-ət-ē, ˌkäm-\play noun pluralcompulsivities
Prozac, which increases the amount of serotonin sloshing around brain circuits, seems to reduce the compulsivity of autism.—Karen Springen, Newsweek, 13 May 1996compulsive
Medical Definition of compulsive
: one who is subject to a psychological compulsion
Learn More about compulsive
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for compulsive Spanish Central: Translation of compulsive Nglish: Translation of compulsive for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of compulsive for Arabic speakers
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