as in fascinations
something about which one is constantly thinking or concerned
her latest obsession is a movie star who she thinks is very handsome
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Recent Examples of obsessions
Shop all of our latest obsessions in one place!
—
Lily Wohlner, Allure, 9 Feb. 2026
Long before TikTok trends and streaming-era obsessions were a thing, The Twilight Saga had teens in a chokehold.
—Lincee Ray, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Feb. 2026
In Short’s case, the flattening is particularly egregious, because the inchoate facts of her life are shoehorned into the obsessions of amateur sleuths who continue to get those facts wrong.
—Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
His critics in Democratic politics consider his obsessions dangerous distractions, built on fanciful thinking, from the difficult work of winning elections and regaining power.
—Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 22 Jan. 2026
Kusher is perfectly cast in the role, mirroring the mannerisms and obsessions of our real-life trillionaires and billionaires.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 21 Jan. 2026
So yes, here's cheers to Wallis and other birds of that feather – and to the obsessions that keep us all off the street at night.
—Loz Blain
january 15, New Atlas, 15 Jan. 2026
These obsessions and compulsions interfere with daily activities and cause significant distress.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
In Humphrey Cobb’s 1935 novel about a trio of French soldiers condemned to death at random by their cowardly superiors, Kubrick found a perfect vessel for his obsessions.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2025
Lily Wohlner, Allure, 9 Feb. 2026
Long before TikTok trends and streaming-era obsessions were a thing, The Twilight Saga had teens in a chokehold.
—Lincee Ray, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Feb. 2026
In Short’s case, the flattening is particularly egregious, because the inchoate facts of her life are shoehorned into the obsessions of amateur sleuths who continue to get those facts wrong.
—Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
His critics in Democratic politics consider his obsessions dangerous distractions, built on fanciful thinking, from the difficult work of winning elections and regaining power.
—Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 22 Jan. 2026
Kusher is perfectly cast in the role, mirroring the mannerisms and obsessions of our real-life trillionaires and billionaires.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 21 Jan. 2026
So yes, here's cheers to Wallis and other birds of that feather – and to the obsessions that keep us all off the street at night.
—Loz Blain
january 15, New Atlas, 15 Jan. 2026
These obsessions and compulsions interfere with daily activities and cause significant distress.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
In Humphrey Cobb’s 1935 novel about a trio of French soldiers condemned to death at random by their cowardly superiors, Kubrick found a perfect vessel for his obsessions.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obsessions
Noun
-
Housing costs have been a major component of the affordability problems facing consumers.—
Zach Halaschak,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The researchers warned that while the idea of workers taking on more tasks voluntarily could seem ideal, nonstop work has the potential to lead to problems down the line, including blurring the boundary between work and non-work, as well as burnout and cognitive fatigue.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In public, Newsom speaks often and openly about his errors, fortifying his image as a bumptious, slightly hapless victim of his own enthusiasms.—
Nathan Heller,
New Yorker,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Their online parlance is punctuated by empty enthusiasms, vicious aspersions, and obvious hypocrisies that rarely matter.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
That much of the internet saw Bad Bunny’s Grammys look as a harbinger for more violence is probably more of a projection of our own preoccupations and fears.—
José Criales-Unzueta,
Vanity Fair,
7 Feb. 2026
-
The imagery of the song chimes with some of Bowie’s deepest spiritual preoccupations.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
But while his own work is marked by coincidences and unexpected bookends, some provided by the universe and some engineered by the filmmaker, at its core, it’s defined by an unswerving faith in the boundless eccentricities and fascinating fixations of other people.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
23 Jan. 2026
-
With no ping-pong-ball fixations after last season’s 36-win season, the Suns are instead sending out a gritty, undersized squad that has overachieved its way to a 24-15 start in the unforgiving Western Conference — even with key offseason acquisition Jalen Green playing only two games.—
John Hollinger,
New York Times,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In addition, the creation of the fetishes, with their bits of bone, dirt, plants, and other objects, also unnerved enslavers and colonists.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Jan. 2026
-
The titillating drama explores the complexities of dominant-submissive relationships and fetishes, as Ray gets aroused by making Colin lick his boots, buy his groceries and sleep at the foot of his bed.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The next phase of crypto's growth won't revolve around sleek marketing or speculative manias.—
Annabelle Huang,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
-
The reality is that the global network has become a transmission mechanism for all kinds of manias and panics, just as the combination of printing and literacy temporarily increased the prevalence of millenarian sects and witch crazes.—
Niall Ferguson,
Foreign Affairs,
15 Aug. 2017
Cite this Entry
“Obsessions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obsessions. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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