obsess

verb

ob·​sess əb-ˈses How to pronounce obsess (audio)
äb-
obsessed; obsessing; obsesses

transitive verb

: to haunt or excessively preoccupy the mind of
was obsessed with the idea
She was obsessed with her car.

intransitive verb

: to engage in obsessive thinking : become obsessed with an idea
He's always obsessing over money.

Examples of obsess in a Sentence

The war obsesses him—he talks about nothing else. You need to stop obsessing and just deal with the problem.
Recent Examples on the Web Meanwhile, many contemporary men are – as it has been recently claimed – obsessed with the Roman Empire. Julia Khrebtan-Hörhager, The Conversation, 7 Mar. 2024 While many brides obsess over every single detail of their wedding-day look, Black women bring to that decision-making process hair that has historically been mocked and criticized. Leah Faye Cooper, Vogue, 7 Mar. 2024 Kirsten Chenin Blanc Stellenbosch South Africa Terroir obsessed winemaker Eben Sadie is one of the great visionaries of the South African scene. Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 7 Mar. 2024 Sleuths, some of them admittedly obsessed by the case, still flock to online discussion boards to trade hypotheses. Tracey Tully, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024 The culture at the time was obsessed with supermodels, a fascination that had been bubbling for years. Jason Sheeler, Peoplemag, 5 Mar. 2024 The internet is obsessed with knowing what's going onwith Kate Middleton. USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2024 California 310, 213, 818: Why Southern California is obsessed with area codes Jan. 26, 2021 The California Public Utilities Commission approved a proposal last year to add 738 to the mix as an overlay, meaning that it will be used in the same turf as 213 and 323. Jon Healey, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2024 Principle 1: Autonomy merican consumers are obsessed with choice. Ari Hoffman, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'obsess.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin obsessus, past participle of obsidēre to frequent, besiege, from ob- against + sedēre to sit — more at ob-, sit

First Known Use

1531, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of obsess was in 1531

Dictionary Entries Near obsess

Cite this Entry

“Obsess.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obsess. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

obsess

verb
ob·​sess əb-ˈses How to pronounce obsess (audio)
äb-
: to occupy the mind of completely or abnormally
obsessed with this new scheme

Medical Definition

obsess

transitive verb
ob·​sess əb-ˈses, äb- How to pronounce obsess (audio)
: to preoccupy intensely or abnormally
was obsessed with success

intransitive verb

: to engage in obsessive thinking
solve problems rather than obsess about themCarol Tavris
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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