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
Gadd adapted his one-man show about his experience with an obsessive fan for the Emmy-winning series set up at the streamer — which is now in litigation with Fiona Muir-Harvey, who claims to be the inspiration behind Jessica Gunning’s stalker character.
—
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 24 Apr. 2026
What had once seemed extreme or obsessive now felt socially acceptable.
—Eli Thompson, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2026
The obsessive Snider hired a private investigator to follow Stratten.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 20 Apr. 2026
Investors who spent decades funding consumer- and enterprise-tech companies have now made an obsessive turn toward weapons firms that operate like start-ups, founded by the type of entrepreneur who used to make Web browsers, social network platforms, or VR headsets.
—Simon Denny, Artforum, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for obsessive
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 24 Apr. 2026
What had once seemed extreme or obsessive now felt socially acceptable.
—Eli Thompson, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2026
The obsessive Snider hired a private investigator to follow Stratten.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 20 Apr. 2026
Investors who spent decades funding consumer- and enterprise-tech companies have now made an obsessive turn toward weapons firms that operate like start-ups, founded by the type of entrepreneur who used to make Web browsers, social network platforms, or VR headsets.
—Simon Denny, Artforum, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for obsessive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obsessive
Adjective
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Mercury will eventually square off with Pluto on May 5, triggering everything from impulsive decisions to over-the-top reactions.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
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Before medical intervention, some patients are impulsive with their eating and constantly think about their next meal.—
Alora Bopray,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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For some people, compulsive shopping and overspending can become an addiction.—
Abigail Van Buren,
Boston Herald,
17 Apr. 2026
-
As a result, persons suffer from addictive, obsessive or compulsive behaviors.—
Scott Lafee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Apr. 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 9 May. 2026.
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