as in obsessive
caused by or suggestive of an irresistible urge
his compulsive clowning around can sometimes be annoying
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Recent Examples of compulsive
Boredom typically resolves with enrichment, separation anxiety happens when the owner is away, and compulsive behavior tends to be intense, repetitive, and difficult to interrupt—even when the dog is tired.
—
Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025
Book of the Month Subscription For the compulsive reader, sometimes just deciding what book to read next is a chore—there are only so many bestsellers.
—Will Porter, Architectural Digest, 6 June 2025
The breast cancer diagnosis comes less than one year after the singer revealed that she was diagnosed with ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) and OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder).
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 4 June 2025
Balancing compulsive watchability with a touch of class, the company is still trying to break the mold while simultaneously catering to the masses.
—Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for compulsive
Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025
Book of the Month Subscription For the compulsive reader, sometimes just deciding what book to read next is a chore—there are only so many bestsellers.
—Will Porter, Architectural Digest, 6 June 2025
The breast cancer diagnosis comes less than one year after the singer revealed that she was diagnosed with ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) and OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder).
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 4 June 2025
Balancing compulsive watchability with a touch of class, the company is still trying to break the mold while simultaneously catering to the masses.
—Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for compulsive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compulsive
Adjective
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Even the most obsessive dancing queen will find fresh storytelling and breadth in these pages.—
EW Staff Published,
EW.com,
20 June 2025
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And Williams really stuck the landing by disclosing a relatable flaw: obsessive rule-following.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
20 June 2025
Adjective
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Written and directed by documentarian Brian Tetsuro Ivie (Emanuel) in his narrative directorial debut, the film tells the story of an impulsive young woman and a reclusive older man who launch on a poignant cross‑country road trip.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
26 June 2025
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Unfortunately, impulsive, inventory-optimization metric chasing often soothes symptoms while elevating strategic risk.—
Noah Barsky,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Compulsive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compulsive. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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