obsessive-compulsive

adjective

ob·​ses·​sive-com·​pul·​sive äb-ˈse-siv-kəm-ˈpəl-siv How to pronounce obsessive-compulsive (audio)
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
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.
Baldwin is shown cleaning the interior of a garbage can; Hilaria and one of his children gently rib him and describe him as obsessive-compulsive. Daniel D'addario, Variety, 20 Feb. 2025 In one scene together, Alec and Hilaria discuss the 30 Rock alum's obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Hannah Sacks, People.com, 20 Feb. 2025 SSRIs are first choice treatments for mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).7 Lexapro is available in tablet and liquid forms. Megan Nunn, Verywell Health, 12 Feb. 2025 Similarly, a 2019 study in JAMA Psychiatry followed 579 New Zealand children over three decades and found that children exposed to lead were more likely to grow up to have anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, phobias, or substance abuse issues. Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 24 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for obsessive-compulsive

Word History

First Known Use

1927, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of obsessive-compulsive was in 1927

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Cite this Entry

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

Medical Definition

obsessive-compulsive

1 of 2 adjective
: relating to or characterized by recurring obsessions and compulsions especially as symptoms of an obsessive-compulsive disorder

obsessive-compulsive

2 of 2 noun
: an individual affected with an obsessive-compulsive disorder

More from Merriam-Webster on obsessive-compulsive

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