obsessive
adjective
ob·ses·sive
äb-ˈse-siv 
əb-
1
a
: tending to cause obsession
b
: excessive often to an unreasonable degree
2
: of, relating to, or characterized by obsession : deriving from obsession
obsessive
noun
obsessively
adverb
obsessiveness
noun
Examples of obsessive in a Sentence
Many dancers are obsessive about their weight.
He is an obsessive workaholic who never stops thinking about his job.
an obsessive interest in space travel
The new therapy is supposed to help people control their obsessive thoughts.
Recent Examples on the Web
Even with an obsessive showrunner at the helm, this series would’ve gone nowhere without the outsized talents of our writers’ room.
—
Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 30 May 2025
Betting Big on the Creator Middle Class Stan has grown to more than 70,000 users in just three years, a trajectory that founder and CEO John Hu attributes to obsessive focus on creators who are building real, sustainable businesses without massive teams, investors or platforms.
—Ian Shepherd, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
Earlier this year, obsessive online analysis of Hailey Bieber's relationship with husband Justin, and her interactions with his ex-girlfriend Gomez, inspired Bieber to take to Instagram Stories to share her own struggle.
—Lauren Valenti, Vogue, 21 May 2025
Wright dabbled in fashion design Wright was known for his obsessive eye for detail, insisting on specific furnishings and challenging clients who threatened to compromise his vision for their homes by trying to inject their own taste into the spaces.
—Carrie Hojnicki, Architectural Digest, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for obsessive
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Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 30 May 2025
Betting Big on the Creator Middle Class Stan has grown to more than 70,000 users in just three years, a trajectory that founder and CEO John Hu attributes to obsessive focus on creators who are building real, sustainable businesses without massive teams, investors or platforms.
—Ian Shepherd, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
Earlier this year, obsessive online analysis of Hailey Bieber's relationship with husband Justin, and her interactions with his ex-girlfriend Gomez, inspired Bieber to take to Instagram Stories to share her own struggle.
—Lauren Valenti, Vogue, 21 May 2025
Wright dabbled in fashion design Wright was known for his obsessive eye for detail, insisting on specific furnishings and challenging clients who threatened to compromise his vision for their homes by trying to inject their own taste into the spaces.
—Carrie Hojnicki, Architectural Digest, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for obsessive
Cite this Entry
“Obsessive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obsessive. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
obsessive
adjective
ob·ses·sive
äb-ˈses-iv
əb-
: of, relating to, having, or being an obsession
obsessively
adverb
Medical Definition
obsessive
1 of 2 adjective
ob·ses·sive
äb-ˈses-iv, əb-
: of, relating to, causing, or characterized by obsession : deriving from obsession
obsessive behavior
obsessively
adverb
obsessiveness
noun
obsessive
2 of 2 noun
: an obsessive individual
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