obsess

[ uhb-ses ]

/ əbˈsɛs /

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See synonyms for: obsess / obsessed / obsessing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to dominate or preoccupy the thoughts, feelings, or desires of (a person); beset, trouble, or haunt persistently or abnormally: Suspicion obsessed him.

verb (used without object)

to think about something unceasingly or persistently; dwell obsessively upon something.

OTHER WORDS FOR obsess

1 possess, control, haunt.

See synonyms for obsess on Thesaurus.com

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Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of obsess

1495–1505; <Latin obsessus, past participle of obsidēre to occupy, frequent, besiege, equivalent to ob-ob- + -sid(ēre) combining form of sedēre to sit¹

OTHER WORDS FROM obsess

ob·sess·ing·ly, adverbob·ses·sor, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH obsess

abscess, obsess

Words nearby obsess

observation car, observation post, observatory, observe, observer, obsess, obsessed, obsession, obsessive, obsessive-compulsive, obsessive-compulsive disorder

How to use obsess in a sentence

Before my injury, I obsessed over whether I ate healthy enough.
Six Months of Soft Food Set Me Free|Meghan McCarron|February 2, 2021|Eater
His fans are obsessed with their love story, and Akins has fueled interest by starring in several of Rhett’s videos, notably the swoony, six-time-platinum ballad, “Die a Happy Man.”
How the wives of country music stars created their own powerful — sometimes controversial — Instagram empires|Emily Yahr|February 1, 2021|Washington Post
I was obsessed with Wu-Tang and A Tribe Called Quest, all these albums came out when I was turning 13, 14.
How ‘Freaks and Geeks’ went from misfit dramedy to cult classic, as told by its cast and creators: ‘People just like it so much that it thrusts itself from the grave’|Sonia Rao|January 27, 2021|Washington Post
This isn’t some major redesign but we’re talking about minor tweaks that the designers surely obsessed over but that the users may not even really notice.
Google refreshes its mobile search experience|Frederic Lardinois|January 22, 2021|TechCrunch

He was a man obsessed not just with his own legacy, but the ability of all people to create their own stories and histories.
The best presidents in video games|Gene Park|January 20, 2021|Washington Post
The professor known as Wittgenstein (and Iyer) obsess about the notion of thought itself on almost every page.
Lars Iyer’s ‘Wittgenstein Jr.’ Plumbs the Deep Fun of Philosophical Fiction|Drew Smith|October 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Do we obsess over celebrities because we want to be perfect?
Face It—We Rubes Will Never Live Like Gwyneth and Jennifer Aniston|Rachel Bertsche|July 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Or do we want to be perfect because we obsess over celebrities?
Face It—We Rubes Will Never Live Like Gwyneth and Jennifer Aniston|Rachel Bertsche|July 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If all goes as planned, Alig soon will face his fans, those who blog about him, follow his tweets, and obsess over Party Monster.
The Party Monster Lives For the Applause: Michael Alig’s Second Act|Caitlin Dickson|February 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I think we obsess over a lot of the same details in a situation.
‘Portlandia’ Duo Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein Discuss the Secrets to the Cult Show’s Success|Marlow Stern|February 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If the world continued to confine and obsess him, he hated the world, and gasped for freedom.
Winds Of Doctrine|George Santayana
His virility would obsess him to such an extent that there certainly would be moments of posturing and swagger.
Pieces of Hate|Heywood Broun
In fact, Courtrey, burning with the new desire that was beginning to obsess him, was working out a new design.
Tharon of Lost Valley|Vingie E. Roe
Let the subtle fear that the task is impossible obsess the thought, paralyze the nerve, and no hope is left.
The Meaning of Faith|Harry Emerson Fosdick
The old chimera of turning the cold woman to warmth through his own passion began to obsess him.
Dangerous Days|Mary Roberts Rinehart

British Dictionary definitions for obsess

obsess

/ (əbˈsɛs) /

verb

(tr; when passive, foll by with or by) to preoccupy completely; haunt

(intr; usually foll by on or over) to worry neurotically or obsessively; brood

Word Origin for obsess

C16: from Latin obsessus besieged, past participle of obsidēre, from ob- in front of + sedēre to sit

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

obsess

OTHER WORDS FOR obsess

Origin of obsess

OTHER WORDS FROM obsess

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH obsess

Words nearby obsess

Words related to obsess

How to use obsess in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for obsess

Word Origin for obsess