obsession

noun

äb-ˈse-shən How to pronounce obsession (audio)
Definition of obsessionnext
as in problem
something about which one is constantly thinking or concerned her latest obsession is a movie star who she thinks is very handsome

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 obsession Laine didn’t have the same obsession for off-ice nutrition, exercise and self-improvement as the Jets veterans of his day. — Murat Ates, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026 Meanwhile, other browsers chitchat about cats, weird vintage finds and their eccentric animal obsessions from childhood. — Yvonne Villaseñor, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026 Chocolate Zucchini Muffins are our latest obsession, marrying unsweetened cocoa powder with cinnamon, light brown sugar, and plenty of shredded zucchini. — Torie Cox, Southern Living, 7 Sep. 2026 In 2022, Barrymore shared how Olive had an obsession with the skincare brand Glow Recipe. — Lauren Levesque, InStyle, 5 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for obsession
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obsession
  1. problem
  2. fascination
  3. preoccupation
  4. fixation
  5. fetish
  6. mania
  7. enthusiasm
Noun
  • Airlines scrambled Wednesday to dig out from the backlog triggered by technical problems experienced by the United Kingdom's air traffic control system that has forced the cancellation of more than 2,000 flights.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The Constitution attempted to solve ancient problems having to do not only with the people and their rulers, the structure of government, and the nature of rights, but also with the knowability and endurance of law.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of problem
Noun
  • Learning to distinguish genuine friendship from fascination with his position is something Prince William has had to navigate his entire life.
    — Janelle Ash , Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 9 Sep. 2026
  • For Johns, honey is one such ingredient—and his fascination with it is steeped in history.
    — Lauren Valenti, InStyle, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of fascination
Noun
  • Fretting about the future is a favorite preoccupation of the conscientious.
    — Joe Fassler, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The result, says Roya, is deepening apathy among her fellow citizens, whose preoccupation now is just getting by.
    — Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of preoccupation
Noun
  • Other highlights include Billie’s (Lucy Freyer) fixation with feeling young, Julian Manjerico’s return as the absolutely unhinged Zack-Carlos and a brilliant penultimate episode about casual use of the C-word (hey, the British do it).
    — Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • For years, the fixation on Islamist terror shaped a culture drenched in fear, as voices from politics, the media, civil society, and a swelling counterterrorism-industrial complex insisted that the country faced an existential threat.
    — Daniel Benjamin, Foreign Affairs, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of fixation
Noun
  • Conahan, now 72, acknowledged having a bondage fetish in court but has always denied killing anyone.
    — Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Instead, we’re presented with deviant men defined only by their fetishes, creating an uneasy imbalance that’s impossible to ignore.
    — Jay Weissberg, Variety, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of fetish
Noun
  • OpenAI has yet to involve people prone to psychosis or mania in improving ChatGPT safeguards.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The stock reclaimed its opening IPO print of $150, yet is still about 35% below the $225 high that followed the June 12 IPO mania.
    — Jeff Kilburg, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of mania
Noun
  • The convention -- part rally, part fundraiser -- comes as Republicans try to boost enthusiasm heading into the final stretch before Election Day.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The move was sure to spark criticism that the president was paying Americans to vote Republican as the party struggles to match Democrats’ enthusiasm and faces a challenging midterm outlook.
    — Joey Garrison, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of enthusiasm

Browse Nearby Words

obsessing (over)
obsession
obsessional
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Obsession.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obsession. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on obsession

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about obsession

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