obsession

noun

ob·​ses·​sion äb-ˈse-shən How to pronounce obsession (audio)
əb-
1
: a persistent disturbing preoccupation with an often unreasonable idea or feeling
broadly : compelling motivation
an obsession with profits
has an obsession with gambling
2
: something that causes an obsession
Losing weight can be an obsession that results in the avoidance of certain foods.
obsessional adjective
obsessionally adverb

Examples of obsession in a Sentence

He was fascinated by the actress and tracking her every move had become an obsession. She has an obsession about cleanliness. Her concern about cleanliness approaches the level of obsession. Money has become an obsession for him.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The obsession with lineage is at odds with the solidarity of the Middle Passage, which created new forms of kinship. Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025 The work, a cheeky take on America’s obsession with pop culture and internet discourse, brought an immediate smile to my face. Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 22 Feb. 2025 Protein is replacing plant-based as the latest grocery aisle obsession. Andrea Felsted and Lisa Jarvis, Twin Cities, 21 Feb. 2025 Annie could have been an easy, misogynistic monster, but in Bates’s hands, the character is turned into a complicated portrait of obsession, revealing the dangers of losing oneself in the work of others. Tim Grierson, Vulture, 21 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for obsession

Word History

Etymology

earlier, "control of a person by an evil spirit," borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, "siege, condition of a person possessed by a demon," borrowed from Latin obsessiōn, obsessiō "act of besieging, blockade" (Late Latin, "possession by a demon"), from obsidēre "to occupy, besiege, beset" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at obsess

Note: See note at obsess.

First Known Use

1680, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of obsession was in 1680

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Cite this Entry

“Obsession.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obsession. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

obsession

noun
ob·​ses·​sion äb-ˈsesh-ən How to pronounce obsession (audio)
əb-
: a disturbing concern with an idea or feeling that cannot be put out of mind even when it is seen to be unreasonable
also : such a thought or feeling

Medical Definition

obsession

noun
ob·​ses·​sion äb-ˈsesh-ən, əb- How to pronounce obsession (audio)
: a persistent disturbing preoccupation with an often unreasonable idea or feeling
also : something that causes such preoccupation compare compulsion, phobia
obsessional adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on obsession

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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