obsessive
/əbˈsesɪv/ (bre, ipa) · /əbˈsesɪv/ (ame, ipa) · /äb-ˈse-siv əb-/ (ame, mw) · /əbˈses.ɪv/ (bre, ipa) · /əbˈses.ɪv/ (ame, ipa)
obsessive — adjective
- obsessivepositive
- more obsessivecomparative
- most obsessivesuperlative
1. spending so much time thinking about, or doing, one thing that it starts to feel
spending so much time thinking about, or doing, one thing that it starts to feel unhealthy and crowds out other parts of life.
Takeshi is obsessive about checking the front door three times before bed.
obsessive about + -ing for compulsive habits
Ife became obsessive about her training schedule, running even when she was clearly sick.
obsessive about + noun for unhealthy focus on activity
An obsessive fan waited outside the hotel for twelve hours hoping to see the singer.
Élise tries not to be obsessive about her weight, but she still weighs herself every morning.
Coding sixteen hours a day, Ezra was starting to look obsessive rather than dedicated.
- compulsive
stronger; suggests the person feels driven and cannot stop
- fixated
focus is locked on one specific target, not always unhealthy
- fanatical
extreme devotion, often to a belief or hobby, not necessarily harmful
- easygoing
relaxed; not driven by a single worry or interest
文法句型
obsessive about + noun/-ing
用法筆記
Often used with 'about' + noun or '-ing'. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense describes a person or their behaviour as the source of the over-focus; sense 2 describes things that look, sound, or feel that way without naming the person.
常見錯誤
2. describing thoughts, feelings, or actions that come from being unable to stop fo
describing thoughts, feelings, or actions that come from being unable to stop focusing on one thing.
Yara cleaned the kitchen counter with an obsessive thoroughness no guest would ever notice.
attributive: obsessive + abstract noun (thoroughness / care)
The detective described the killer's obsessive interest in old maps of the town.
obsessive + interest / attention / focus
Ritu's diary recorded an obsessive worry about whether her parents still loved her.
The film captures the painter's obsessive need to repaint the same garden again and again.
- compulsive
stresses the driven, unstoppable quality
- all-consuming
stresses that the focus pushes everything else out
- fixated
the attention is locked on a single target
- casual
low intensity, easy to walk away from
文法句型
obsessive + noun
用法筆記
Almost always used attributively before a noun ('obsessive interest', 'obsessive worry'). Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 labels a person or their behaviour directly ('she is obsessive about X'); this sense labels a feeling or action that gives off the same quality without naming the person as obsessive.
obsessive — noun
- obsessivesingular
- obsessivesplural
1. someone whose thoughts or habits centre so heavily on one topic that other peopl
someone whose thoughts or habits centre so heavily on one topic that other people find it hard to follow.
Sirin is a complete obsessive when it comes to vintage cameras from the 1960s.
a complete / total obsessive + when it comes to + topic
Only an obsessive would memorise the serial number of every train carriage on the line.
an obsessive + would + characteristic behaviour
Ilan calls himself an obsessive about football statistics, and his friends have stopped arguing.
The club for stamp collectors is full of friendly obsessives swapping rare finds every Saturday.
- fanatic
stronger devotion, often public; can sound less self-deprecating
- enthusiast
neutral; no suggestion that the interest is unhealthy
- addict
informal; stresses inability to stop, often used in compounds ('news addict')
- dabbler
shows mild, passing interest rather than deep focus
文法句型
a/an + obsessive
用法筆記
Mostly informal. Often paired with 'a complete / total obsessive' or with 'about' + a topic. Carries a half-teasing tone — speakers describing themselves with this word usually mean it lightly.