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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Recent Examples of obsessive
Inspired by the notorious Parker-Hulme murder case, the film examines the dangerously obsessive friendship between two teenage girls — Winslet as Juliet Hulme and Melanie Lynskey, also in her film debut, as Pauline Parker — which culminates in the premeditated murder of Parker's mother.
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Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Dec. 2025
If Wuthering Heights wasn’t on your English class syllabus, expect an obsessive, haunting love story that portrays the extremes of desire.
—Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 29 Dec. 2025
For some with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), they may be distressed by the prospect of germs or how foods are prepared.
—Dr. Ellen S. Rome, Boston Herald, 21 Dec. 2025
It was established in 1923 by founder Shinjiro Torii as the first venue dedicated to crafting Japanese whisky with the obsessive attention to detail that has made the spirit beloved worldwide.
—Liz Provencher, Travel + Leisure, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obsessive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obsessive
Adjective
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Your impulsive actions might disrupt something.—
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While genuinely intrigued by Lucy, his inconsistency and impulsive reactions complicate their relationship, which was already competing with the lingering shadow of Stephen.—
Adjective
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An ex-trader explained that if bettors exhibited potential signs of compulsive gambling, such as frenetically emptying and refilling their account balance, the trader would check if RG wanted to reach out to make sure the customer was OK.—
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Doomscrolling, compulsive social media use that can feel exhausting, is a negative habit that many people actually do in an attempt to self soothe, explained psychotherapist Esin Pinarli, LCSW, MCAP.—
Adjective
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But obsessional online culture has sought to answer questions of origin rather than waving them off.—
Cite this Entry
“Obsessive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obsessive. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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