as in attracts
to hold one's attention to an extreme degree
The TV show obsessed me so much that I was up all night watching.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 obsesses
As if what delights and obsesses us must have a purpose.
—
Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2025
Much of Muscle Man really is plotless—Harold steals a student’s backpack, goes to a department meeting, then fits in a workout—but Casey is a common thread, as Harold often obsesses about securing his approval.
—Jeremy Gordon, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
Page Six of the New York Post predictably leaps on every Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift nugget, obsesses on Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, and likes reminding readers whenever Zoë Kravitz and Harry Styles are holding hands in a Brooklyn bar.
—Peter Bart, Deadline, 11 Sep. 2025
The band’s manager obsesses over social-media impressions.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2025
Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2025
Much of Muscle Man really is plotless—Harold steals a student’s backpack, goes to a department meeting, then fits in a workout—but Casey is a common thread, as Harold often obsesses about securing his approval.
—Jeremy Gordon, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
Page Six of the New York Post predictably leaps on every Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift nugget, obsesses on Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, and likes reminding readers whenever Zoë Kravitz and Harry Styles are holding hands in a Brooklyn bar.
—Peter Bart, Deadline, 11 Sep. 2025
The band’s manager obsesses over social-media impressions.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obsesses
Verb
-
Dubizzle has been bulking up over the past year, acquiring Egypt’s Hatla2ee, which attracts more than 2 million monthly visitors across its website and mobile app, building on its portfolio of auto platforms, including DriveArabia.—
Mohammed Sergie,
semafor.com,
10 Nov. 2025
-
The Red Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and historic symbol of India’s independence, attracts thousands of visitors daily.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
It’s set in the early 80s, which is a period that fascinates me.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Ange Postecoglou fascinates me.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
What intrigues you about circling back to the original Power world and that complicated dynamic with Tariq?—
Derek Lawrence,
Vulture,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Science fiction intrigues me a lot.—
William Earl,
Variety,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Click on the parlay hub or go to and individual matchup that interests you to find popular options.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Because the books cover the story of the Ozarks region from prehistoric times to the 21st century, readers are likely to find a little something about any part of regional history that interests them.—
Becca Martin-Brown,
Arkansas Online,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obsesses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obsesses. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share