obsessive-compulsive
adjective
ob·ses·sive-com·pul·sive
äb-ˈse-siv-kəm-ˈpəl-siv 
əb-
: relating to or characterized by recurring obsessions and compulsions especially as symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder
an obsessive-compulsive personality
obsessive-compulsive behavior
obsessive-compulsive
noun
Examples of obsessive-compulsive in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Leo manages to subtly play Hughes' growing paranoia and fear before his obsessive-compulsive nature fully takes over.
—
Derek Lawrence, EW.com, 13 July 2025
It is occasionally used today for people with debilitating obsessive-compulsive disorder, but the technique remains unapproved for depression and is largely confined to research trials—some of which have ended in dispiriting, high-profile failure.
—IEEE Spectrum, 30 June 2025
Armed with a voice that creates a number of characters and family members, Bamford’s comedy takes a self-deprecating, if occasionally surreal , look at her life, and her struggles with anxiety and bi-polar and obsessive-compulsive disorders.
—Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 26 June 2025
SSRIs are approved by the FDA to treat a range of conditions such as anxiety, depression, bulimia nervosa, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and are used off-label to treat several others.
—Adrianna Rodriguez, USA Today, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for obsessive-compulsive
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Derek Lawrence, EW.com, 13 July 2025
It is occasionally used today for people with debilitating obsessive-compulsive disorder, but the technique remains unapproved for depression and is largely confined to research trials—some of which have ended in dispiriting, high-profile failure.
—IEEE Spectrum, 30 June 2025
Armed with a voice that creates a number of characters and family members, Bamford’s comedy takes a self-deprecating, if occasionally surreal , look at her life, and her struggles with anxiety and bi-polar and obsessive-compulsive disorders.
—Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 26 June 2025
SSRIs are approved by the FDA to treat a range of conditions such as anxiety, depression, bulimia nervosa, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and are used off-label to treat several others.
—Adrianna Rodriguez, USA Today, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for obsessive-compulsive
Cite this Entry
“Obsessive-compulsive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obsessive-compulsive. Accessed 23 Jul. 2025.
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