as in jealous
intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness
he was very possessive of his girlfriend's attention, and it was really starting to annoy her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of possessive
Little by little, the leaf curls over the insect, almost as if possessive, as the digestive process begins.
—
Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 June 2025
And Doyle showed even more possessive behavior that C.C. found troubling.
—Chris Young Ritzen, CBS News, 10 May 2025
The moon’s clash with Mars amplifies passions and possessive thoughts!
—Usa Today, USA Today, 11 May 2025
These include possessive apostrophes in clubs that are named after people or institutions — Newell’s Old Boys, for example, who got their name from Isaac Newell, an Englishman who was a pioneer of football in Argentina.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for possessive
Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 June 2025
And Doyle showed even more possessive behavior that C.C. found troubling.
—Chris Young Ritzen, CBS News, 10 May 2025
The moon’s clash with Mars amplifies passions and possessive thoughts!
—Usa Today, USA Today, 11 May 2025
These include possessive apostrophes in clubs that are named after people or institutions — Newell’s Old Boys, for example, who got their name from Isaac Newell, an Englishman who was a pioneer of football in Argentina.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for possessive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for possessive
jealous
Adjective
-
One of the youngest of the MacKenzie brood (and often seen with sister Janet), Jocasta Cameron is sometimes callously honest, perpetually jealous of the attention Ellen gets, and unhappily married to an old man.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
8 Aug. 2025
-
Public spaces were designed to feel more intimate and cooler during what can be sunny and hot days. MASON, OH − Jansen Dell wants tennis facilities around the world to be jealous of the Cincinnati Open.—
Sydney Franklin,
The Enquirer,
7 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Possessive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/possessive. Accessed 24 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share