obsessive

adjective

ob·​ses·​sive äb-ˈse-siv How to pronounce obsessive (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The title may have the tang of a prog-rock album, but the book is witty, minutely detailed, and braced by common sense—a welcome gift in an often obsessive environment. Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025 Digging deeper, Georgia unravels a complex case entangled in mania, ritual and the occult, and her obsessive quest for the truth spirals into a nightmare that will put her family, career and sanity on the line. Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 21 Sep. 2025 This is a story about two young people who find each other, fall madly in love, and are then torn apart by unimaginable disaster — one rendered by the obsessive director in minute, breathless, excruciating detail. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025 But persistent or obsessive licking of furniture, desks, or pillows can sometimes signal an underlying issue. Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for obsessive

Word History

Etymology

obsess + -ive

First Known Use

1897, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of obsessive was in 1897

Cite this Entry

“Obsessive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obsessive. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

obsessive

adjective
ob·​ses·​sive äb-ˈses-iv How to pronounce obsessive (audio)
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- How to pronounce obsessive (audio)
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on obsessive

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