| Library / English Dictionary |
OBSESSION
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
An unhealthy and compulsive preoccupation with something or someone
Synonyms:
fixation; obsession
Classified under:
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents
Hypernyms ("obsession" is a kind of...):
preoccupation (an idea that preoccupies the mind and holds the attention)
Derivation:
obsess (haunt like a ghost; pursue)
obsess (be preoccupied with something)
obsessional (characterized by or constituting an obsession)
Sense 2
Meaning:
An irrational motive for performing trivial or repetitive actions, even against your will
Example:
her compulsion to wash her hands repeatedly
Synonyms:
compulsion; obsession
Classified under:
Hypernyms ("obsession" is a kind of...):
irrational motive (a motivation that is inconsistent with reason or logic)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "obsession"):
onomatomania (obsession with a particular word which the person uses repeatedly or which intrudes into consciousness)
Derivation:
obsessional (characterized by or constituting an obsession)
