obsession

[ uhb-sesh-uhn ]

noun

1. the domination of one's thoughts or feelings by a persistent idea, image, desire, etc.
2. the idea, image, desire, feeling, etc., itself.
3. the state of being obsessed. obsessed.
4. the act of obsessing.

obsession

/ əbˈsɛʃən /

noun

1. psychiatry a persistent idea or impulse that continually forces its way into consciousness, often associated with anxiety and mental illness
2. a persistent preoccupation, idea, or feeling
3. the act of obsessing or the state of being obsessed

obsession

1. A preoccupation with a feeling or idea. In psychology , an obsession is similar to a compulsion .

Derived Forms

• obˈsessionally, adverb
• obˈsessional, adjective

Other Words From

• ob·session·al adjective
• nonob·session noun
• nonob·session·al adjective
• self-ob·session noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of obsession¹

First recorded in 1505–15; from Latin obsessiōn-, stem of obsessiō “blockade, siege,” from obsess(us) “occupied, besieged” (past participle of obsidēre “to occupy, besiege”; obsess ) + -iō -ion

Example Sentences

The attempt to “breed back” the Auroch of Teutonic legend was of a piece with the Nazi obsession with racial purity and eugenics.

From The Daily Beast

Nicki treats the obsession with her pop ambitions as an irrelevant, surface-level irritation.

From The Daily Beast

You write about your obsession with sneakers—why do you think so many young men are into sneakers?

From The Daily Beast

Sweden explores new frontiers in our misguided, foolish, pointless obsession with rating and censoring entertainment.

From The Daily Beast

Du Pont would become fully immersed in one field—like birds—before moving on to his next obsession.

From The Daily Beast

He started a guerilla campaign against the obsession with the aid of the brandy bottle.

From Project Gutenberg

It signified that he had definitely given up pretending that he had the power of shaking off the obsession.

From Project Gutenberg

"Look here, old man, this superstitious nonsense is becoming an obsession to you," it said one fine April morning.

From Project Gutenberg

Talpers played heavily on the lynching, because he knew the fear of the mob had become an obsession with McFann.

From Project Gutenberg

It's a kind of obsession, and it often means life or death, whether the mascot can stand the strain of the situation.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• compulsion
• delusion
• enthusiasm
• fascination
• infatuation
• mania
• passion
• phobia
• preoccupation