as in jealous
intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness
he was very possessive of his girlfriend's attention, and it was really starting to annoy her
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Recent Examples of possessive
Franco’s story could easily have been the skeleton for a lurid erotic thriller about a possessive rich American woman claiming ownership of a Mexican boy toy a decade or more younger than her.
—
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Feb. 2025
Fun fact: People born in the Year of the Snake are said to be wise, observant and resourceful, but can also be possessive, cautious and secretive, per the Chinese Language Institute.
—Alissa Widman Neese, Axios, 29 Jan. 2025
But beware of bosses who become possessive and prevent you from accepting other opportunities within the organization rather than viewing you as the organization’s investment in talent.
—Gus Gaynor, IEEE Spectrum, 12 Jan. 2025
And the skipper was proving to be strangely possessive, almost secretive, about things like radio reports, incoming messages and navigational details, going so far as to keep everything jotted on a notebook in his pocket.
—David Wolman, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for possessive
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Feb. 2025
Fun fact: People born in the Year of the Snake are said to be wise, observant and resourceful, but can also be possessive, cautious and secretive, per the Chinese Language Institute.
—Alissa Widman Neese, Axios, 29 Jan. 2025
But beware of bosses who become possessive and prevent you from accepting other opportunities within the organization rather than viewing you as the organization’s investment in talent.
—Gus Gaynor, IEEE Spectrum, 12 Jan. 2025
And the skipper was proving to be strangely possessive, almost secretive, about things like radio reports, incoming messages and navigational details, going so far as to keep everything jotted on a notebook in his pocket.
—David Wolman, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for possessive
Cite this Entry
“Possessive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/possessive. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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