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
Goldberg was obsessive about using original materials, apparently bragging to neighbors about outbidding Martha Stewart on a set of tiles at auction.
—
Jesse Armas, Curbed, 16 June 2026
Tis a deep, obsessive fashion love.
—Madeline Hirsch, InStyle, 16 June 2026
The character's obsessive calorie counting — which the Bridget Jones book series author Helen Fielding has said came directly from her own university diaries — has been among the things criticized about the character through the years.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 15 June 2026
The obsessive insect scientist spent entirely too much of his career and a not-insignificant amount of taxpayer money watching screwworms doing the wild thing.
—Pat Beall, Sun Sentinel, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for obsessive
Jesse Armas, Curbed, 16 June 2026
Tis a deep, obsessive fashion love.
—Madeline Hirsch, InStyle, 16 June 2026
The character's obsessive calorie counting — which the Bridget Jones book series author Helen Fielding has said came directly from her own university diaries — has been among the things criticized about the character through the years.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 15 June 2026
The obsessive insect scientist spent entirely too much of his career and a not-insignificant amount of taxpayer money watching screwworms doing the wild thing.
—Pat Beall, Sun Sentinel, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for obsessive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obsessive
Adjective
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But the prefrontal cortex is not fully developed until a person reaches their mid-to-late 20s, making young people more susceptible to impulsive behavior while gambling.—
Noelle Phillips,
Denver Post,
18 June 2026
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The underlying songwriting is impulsive, but many tracks adopt a deliberately sedate mood or sort through dense clusters of cut-up loops, and Alfa’s spatialization gives the album a pallor that can resemble brain fog.—
H.D. Angel,
Pitchfork,
16 June 2026
Adjective
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In Count My Lies, based on Sophie Stava's bestselling thriller novel of the same name, Woodley plays as Sloane, a compulsive liar who stars working as a nanny, for Violet, played by Lindsay Lohan.—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
13 June 2026
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The young David displayed hypergraphic tendencies—the compulsive need to make a mark, to depict.—
Mark Rozzo,
Vanity Fair,
12 June 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 23 Jun. 2026.
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