OBSESSIVE Synonyms: 28 Similar and Opposite Words

obsessive

adjective

äb-ˈse-siv

Definition of obsessive

as in impulsive

caused by or suggestive of an irresistible urge intrigued by the man's obsessive counting of everyday objects

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Example Sentences

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Recent Examples of obsessive Will’s obsessive, put-upon mother, Susan (Tandi Wright), belittles Alice, dresses her down for her attire at the funeral, and forces her to wear heels that don’t fit, leaving her feet bloody. — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 10 July 2026 That’s when physical media curation stopped looking like a hobby for obsessive enthusiasts and more like emotional insurance. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 10 July 2026 And if that wasn’t bad enough, his attraction becomes obsessive and violent. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026 All the emotional calculus, obsessive analysis, and self-recrimination I was used to disappeared. — Ariel Leve, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for obsessive

Recent Examples of Synonyms for obsessive

Adjective

Although 58 percent of Gen Z shoppers are just as likely to make impulsive purchases as Millennials (57 percent), Zoomers tend to overspend more annually than their slightly older counterparts, by $541 versus $373, respectively.

— Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 14 July 2026
In both cases, the act was an impulsive, existential response with no single cause.

— Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 11 July 2026