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
This Swedish brand has built an empire that’s all about obsessive engineering, never gimmicks.
—
Todd Plummer, Robb Report, 25 Feb. 2026
Her mother has suspected as much; this is the reason behind her obsessive worrying.
—Elaine Blair, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
The 2024 cast member has generated the kind of obsessive fan conversation that rarely attaches to a reality TV contestant this early in a season.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2026
The service The Capella brand is known for its near-obsessive approach to hospitality, and this Taipei outpost is no exception.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for obsessive
Todd Plummer, Robb Report, 25 Feb. 2026
Her mother has suspected as much; this is the reason behind her obsessive worrying.
—Elaine Blair, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
The 2024 cast member has generated the kind of obsessive fan conversation that rarely attaches to a reality TV contestant this early in a season.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2026
The service The Capella brand is known for its near-obsessive approach to hospitality, and this Taipei outpost is no exception.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for obsessive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obsessive
Adjective
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The dispensing of moral instruction is an often tiresome staple of child-friendly animation, but the lessons that Mabel must learn—to be less impulsive, less strident, and more willing to see the good in others—also turn out to be shrewd organizational and negotiating tactics.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
6 Mar. 2026
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The impulsive reaction to this data is a trap.—
Jeff Howe,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Brent, by contrast, is a magnetic and enigmatic force — brilliant, elusive, and driven by an almost compulsive need to run toward danger.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
3 Mar. 2026
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In the preliminary findings of an ongoing investigation into the social media app, the commission has declared that TikTok’s compulsive design may put it in breach of the Digital Services Act.—
Chas Newkey-Burden,
TheWeek,
27 Feb. 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 Mar. 2026.
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