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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Recent Examples of obsessive
The fictional group’s leader, Peter (Denver Milord), is obsessive, driving his bandmates, especially the lead singer-songwriter Diana (Claire DeJean), to greater heights.
—
Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 29 Jan. 2026
The current edition, DSM-5-TR, contains more than 300 distinct mental disorders such as schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder and alcohol use disorder.
—Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 28 Jan. 2026
Pratt will always be that obsessive guy who is thinking 10 steps ahead.
—Rachel Brodsky, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026
That’s the result of obsessive process optimization, relentless practice and complete clarity on roles and responsibilities.
—Brendan Keegan, Rolling Stone, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for obsessive
Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 29 Jan. 2026
The current edition, DSM-5-TR, contains more than 300 distinct mental disorders such as schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder and alcohol use disorder.
—Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 28 Jan. 2026
Pratt will always be that obsessive guy who is thinking 10 steps ahead.
—Rachel Brodsky, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026
That’s the result of obsessive process optimization, relentless practice and complete clarity on roles and responsibilities.
—Brendan Keegan, Rolling Stone, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for obsessive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obsessive
Adjective
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The challenge is resisting impulsive decisions driven by anxiety.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
30 Jan. 2026
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Anyone who has made an impulsive decision in a moment of intense emotion knows that feelings shape our choices just as much as rational thought.—
Jasna Hodžić,
Big Think,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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While there is no genetic test for obsessive compulsive disorder yet, the hope is to make the DSM flexible enough to incorporate technology that may not exist yet.—
Jen Christensen,
CNN Money,
28 Jan. 2026
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His great novel proposed that the compulsive, addictive character of America, not least its addiction to entertainment, could best be resisted through the engaged reading of fiction.—
Hermione Hoby,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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But obsessional online culture has sought to answer questions of origin rather than waving them off.—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
12 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obsessive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obsessive. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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