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
With his jaw clenched and sights set on being the next James Bond, Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays Major Will Tranter, a bomb disposal pro who’s both an ace sniper and a bit of a loose cannon, breaking protocol in his obsessive attempt to deactivate the vintage ordnance with minimal casualties.
—
Peter Debruge, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
As a professional, he became known for his obsessive practice methods.
—James Wallace, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2025
The always watchable Zem (Other People’s Children) is strong as an obsessive intellectual whose theories drive him to push others to the brink, while Valeria Golino (a requisite for any Italian festival film these days) shows up as the aggrieved mother of a victim.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
My debut novel, To the Moon and Back, is about one woman’s obsessive quest to become the first Cherokee astronaut.
—Eliana Ramage
september 4, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obsessive
Peter Debruge, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
As a professional, he became known for his obsessive practice methods.
—James Wallace, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2025
The always watchable Zem (Other People’s Children) is strong as an obsessive intellectual whose theories drive him to push others to the brink, while Valeria Golino (a requisite for any Italian festival film these days) shows up as the aggrieved mother of a victim.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
My debut novel, To the Moon and Back, is about one woman’s obsessive quest to become the first Cherokee astronaut.
—Eliana Ramage
september 4, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obsessive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obsessive
Adjective
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Bold steps need calculated moves, not impulsive reactions.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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Ari is a rich kid from New York, who is an impulsive motormouth desperate for Sam’s affection.—
Esther Zuckerman,
IndieWire,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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To identify workaholics, the researchers used established psychological surveys that measure both excessive and compulsive working tendencies.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
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These states often trigger compulsive scrolling or posting, not because of the content itself, but because of the emotional tension underneath.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
28 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obsessive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obsessive. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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