obsess

verb

ob·​sess əb-ˈses 

äb-

obsessed; obsessing; obsesses

transitive verb

: to haunt or excessively preoccupy the mind of

was obsessed with the idea

She was obsessed with her car.

intransitive verb

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

He's always obsessing over money.

Examples of obsess in a Sentence

The war obsesses him—he talks about nothing else.

You need to stop obsessing and just deal with the problem.

Recent Examples on the Web

Like many American teenagers, Noah Faulkner, 16, is obsessed with music. —Stephen Deusner, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2024

That’s cool and all, but I was obsessed with Neo and Trinity's tough, edgy looks (including their tiny black shades). —Christian Allaire, Vogue, 1 Apr. 2024

Still obsessed with finding out what happened to her sister, Iris scores an internship at Shoel Island’s hospital for the criminally insane. —Sandra Dallas, The Denver Post, 26 Mar. 2024

In their search for the missing young woman, they're pulled into the orbit of a professor obsessed with tracing threads of the Kingman through history. —Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2024

Paranoid politicians in Washington, obsessed with the threat from China, would be all too easy to blame. —Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 24 Mar. 2024

Now, all of a sudden, he’s being covered by underground rap microblogs with the intensity of UK tabloids obsessing over ex–Love Island stars and Black Premier League strikers. —Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 22 Mar. 2024

If there was a contest for girls obsessed with their exes, Olivia Rodrigo would be a shoo-in for the crown. —Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 22 Mar. 2024

Chris Klimek, host: You’ve been obsessed with Abraham Lincoln, his life and his death for most of your life. —Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1531, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Kids Definition

obsess

verb

ob·​sess əb-ˈses 

äb-

: to occupy the mind of completely or abnormally

obsessed with this new scheme

Medical Definition

obsess

transitive verb

ob·​sess əb-ˈses, äb- 

: 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