obsessed

IPA/əbˈsest/
KK[əbsˈɛst]IPA/əbˈsest/

obsessed — adjective

  • obsessedpositive
  • more obsessedcomparative
  • most obsessedsuperlative

1. having one idea, person, or activity fill your mind so much that you keep thinki

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

having one idea, person, or activity fill your mind so much that you keep thinking, talking, or worrying about it and find it very hard to focus on anything else.

Example

Sophie has been obsessed with K-pop since she was twelve.

be obsessed with + noun

My little brother is completely obsessed with collecting dinosaur stickers.

obsessed with + -ing for hobbies

Common collocations
  • completely obsessed
  • totally obsessed
  • becoming obsessed with
  • obsessed with the idea that
  • obsessed with winning
Synonyms
  • fixated

    very close in meaning; slightly more clinical, often suggests an unhealthy focus.

  • preoccupied

    milder; the thought fills your mind but does not control your behaviour.

  • infatuated

    specifically romantic or admiring feelings, usually short-lived.

  • consumed

    stronger; suggests the feeling has taken over your whole life.

Antonyms
  • indifferent

    showing no interest at all in the thing.

  • detached

    able to keep emotional distance from the topic.

Grammar Patterns

be obsessed with + noun/-ing

be obsessed by + noun

Usage Note

Almost always used after a linking verb (be, become, seem, get) and followed by 'with' (most common) or 'by'. Cannot be placed before a noun in the way most adjectives can: say 'a woman who is obsessed with her career', not 'an obsessed woman with her career'.

Common Mistakes

I am obsessed about my new puppy.
I am obsessed with my new puppy.
the standard preposition is 'with', not 'about'.
She is obsessed to learn Korean.
She is obsessed with learning Korean.
use 'with' + -ing, not 'to' + base verb.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe a mind that keeps returning to one subject, but they differ in tone and depth. 'Obsessed' is the everyday word, common in casual conversation ('I'm obsessed with this song!') and able to swing from playful enthusiasm to serious worry. 'Fixated' sounds more clinical and usually hints that the focus is unhealthy or stuck — a therapist might say a patient is fixated on a childhood memory. 'Preoccupied' is the gentlest: the topic fills your thoughts, but you can still function normally; you might be preoccupied with a meeting later today. 'Infatuated' is reserved for romantic or admiring feelings and often suggests the strong emotion will fade. Compare: 'She is obsessed with chess' (huge interest), 'She is fixated on chess' (worryingly so), 'She is preoccupied with chess' (it's on her mind), 'She is infatuated with the chess teacher' (a romantic crush).

obsessed ↗fixated ↗preoccupiedinfatuated ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • obsessed fan
  • obsessed parent
  • obsessed collector

Adverbs

  • completely obsessed
  • totally obsessed
  • utterly obsessed
  • increasingly obsessed
  • almost obsessed

Phrases

  • become obsessed with something
  • get obsessed with something
  • grow obsessed with the idea that
  • be obsessed with winning
  • be obsessed with looking perfect

Prepositions

  • obsessed with
  • obsessed by
  • obsessed about (informal)

Etymology

LatinLate LatinMiddle FrenchEnglish

The adjective comes from the verb 'obsess', which English borrowed in the late 1500s from the Latin 'obsessus', the past participle of 'obsidere', meaning to sit down in front of, occupy, or besiege. The early English meaning kept this military flavour: an evil spirit was said to 'obsess' a person by laying siege to their soul from the outside, as opposed to 'possess', which meant entering the person. By the 1800s the religious sense had faded and the modern psychological meaning — being mentally besieged by one persistent thought — took over.