Definition of obsessive
1a : tending to cause obsessionb : excessive often to an unreasonable degree
2 : of, relating to, or characterized by obsession : deriving from obsession
obsessive
nounobsessively
adverbobsessiveness
nounFrom the M-W Editors
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 of obsessive from the Web
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The two are obsessive rivals in search of dinosaur fossils in the dangerous and unpredictable West.
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Cox masterfully captures Churchill’s contradictory nature, obsessive dutifulness to queen and country, and a volatility born out of fear, desperation and impending loss.
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Only the most obsessive devotees can be bothered to follow the Byzantine Davis Cup format/schedule.
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Pulses of electricity delivered to the brain can help patients with Parkinson’s disease, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder and possibly other conditions.
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Strzeminski, as Linda plays him, has the obsessive insularity of someone who has little need for the comforts of companionship.
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Circus! offers a gentle alternative to the obsessive level-hopping that dominates interactive games for children.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'obsessive'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
1897
First Known Use of obsessive
1897
Other Psychology Terms
OBSESSIVE Defined for English Language Learners
obsessive
playDefinition of obsessive for English Language Learners
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: thinking about something or someone too much or in a way that is not normal : having an obsession : showing or relating to an obsession
Medical Dictionary
obsessive
Medical Definition of obsessive
: an obsessive individual
Learn More about obsessive
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See words that rhyme with obsessive Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for obsessive Spanish Central: Translation of obsessive Nglish: Translation of obsessive for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of obsessive for Arabic speakers
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