obsessive
adjective
ob·ses·sive
äb-ˈse-siv 
əb-
1
a
: tending to cause obsession
b
: excessive often to an unreasonable degree
2
: of, relating to, or characterized by obsession : deriving from obsession
obsessive
noun
obsessively
adverb
obsessiveness
noun
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 on the Web
In addition, actor Devon Sawa, who portrayed obsessive fan Stan in the original video for the 2000 song from his The Marshall Mathers LP also pulled up to the STANS lookalike contest in New York to meet some fellow Stans, pose with Slim Shady and help judge the contest.
—
Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 7 Aug. 2025
And then, there are obsessive checking habits, with users often responding to measurement changes rather than bodily cues.
—Taylor Lane, Flow Space, 5 Aug. 2025
The obsessive nature of such inquiries reveals more about their authors than the question at hand.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 5 Aug. 2025
The enterprise has an obsessive, devotional aspect.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obsessive
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Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 7 Aug. 2025
And then, there are obsessive checking habits, with users often responding to measurement changes rather than bodily cues.
—Taylor Lane, Flow Space, 5 Aug. 2025
The obsessive nature of such inquiries reveals more about their authors than the question at hand.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 5 Aug. 2025
The enterprise has an obsessive, devotional aspect.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obsessive
Cite this Entry
“Obsessive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obsessive. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
obsessive
adjective
ob·ses·sive
äb-ˈses-iv
əb-
: of, relating to, having, or being an obsession
obsessively
adverb
Medical Definition
obsessive
1 of 2 adjective
ob·ses·sive
äb-ˈses-iv, əb-
: of, relating to, causing, or characterized by obsession : deriving from obsession
obsessive behavior
obsessively
adverb
obsessiveness
noun
obsessive
2 of 2 noun
: an obsessive individual
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