as in materialism
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Recent Examples of possessiveness
In the film, Brack’s attraction to Hedda, investment in her material future, and his familiarity with her father are all underlined, and by the end feel like a mounting pressure of desire and possessiveness directed at her.
—
Rory Doherty, Time, 29 Oct. 2025
Wright is magnetic, walking a fine line between maternal concern and suffocating possessiveness.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
There’s a certain irony in China’s possessiveness over its Labubu IP.
—Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2025
The possessiveness people have around these characters is so intense.
—EW.com, 22 Aug. 2025
But there’s a shiver of possessiveness in his bearing, something the filmmaker suggests through subtle means like a lingering glimpse of Pedro’s hand gripping Lina’s desk.
—Jon Frosch, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Rory Doherty, Time, 29 Oct. 2025
Wright is magnetic, walking a fine line between maternal concern and suffocating possessiveness.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
There’s a certain irony in China’s possessiveness over its Labubu IP.
—Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2025
The possessiveness people have around these characters is so intense.
—EW.com, 22 Aug. 2025
But there’s a shiver of possessiveness in his bearing, something the filmmaker suggests through subtle means like a lingering glimpse of Pedro’s hand gripping Lina’s desk.
—Jon Frosch, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for possessiveness
Noun
-
The book describes the transition of the fictional Grinch, who had focused on the misunderstanding of materialism but was transformed by love and holiday spirit into a helpful, caring being who became part of the community.—
Karie Angell Luc,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Jan. 2026
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Beverly Keel once published an article in The Tennessean that was a letter asking Santa to help our culture move beyond materialism and consumerism to the deeper meaning of Christmas.—
Clay Stauffer,
Nashville Tennessean,
25 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Following too closely in its protagonist’s footsteps, The Queen of Versailles presents only two options — tough but spiritually fulfilling material deprivation or unconstrained acquisitiveness.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The president is a man of low character, driven by greed, insecurity and revenge.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The themes of poverty, greed and love, that’s the part that the viewers are putting into their enjoyment of the movie.—
Destiny Jackson,
Deadline,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The Golden Globes are a pure and true celebration of artistry that stand for unflinching moral justice and should not be sullied by avarice!—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
12 Jan. 2026
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Certainly there’s a long and distinguished tradition of associating Jewish arrivistes with entrepreneurialism, avarice, and clannishness.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
24 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Ironically, the film was about the dangers of commercialism, and the director reportedly added a long bedroom scene near the beginning displaying the actress’ nude backside to appease producers’ demands for more flesh.—
Lee Smith,
CNN Money,
28 Dec. 2025
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The runaway commercialism has only picked up speed.—
Paige Williams,
New Yorker,
19 Dec. 2025
Noun
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People in the comments shared in the woman’s frustration, agreeing that her mother's greediness needs to be addressed.—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
5 Oct. 2025
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When kids didn’t withdraw, it was sometimes seen as greediness.—
Mary Frances Ruskell,
CNN Money,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
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In recent books, French has borrowed elements of the western genre to explore corporate rapacity in the era of climate change and looked at life in a small Irish village with the ear to both insider and outsider.—
Marc Weingarten,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2025
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Adjacent to the Gold Room was the Bravo Bazaar, a mall of real commercial rapacity.—
Doreen St. Félix,
The New Yorker,
17 Nov. 2023
Noun
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Sarah Wynn-Williams’s damning memoir of working at Facebook exposes the predatory cupidity of the company’s executives.—
Rachel Nolan,
The New York Review of Books,
9 May 2025
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Pilgrimage, though couched in spiritual aims, often bordered on sheer cupidity.—
Aatish Taseer,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Possessiveness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/possessiveness. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.
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