obsession

ob·ses·sion

noun \äb-ˈse-shən, əb-\

Definition of OBSESSION

1

: a persistent disturbing preoccupation with an often unreasonable idea or feeling; broadly : compelling motivation <an obsession with profits>

2

: something that causes an obsession

— ob·ses·sion·al \-ˈsesh-nəl, -ˈse-shə-n^əl\ adjective

— ob·ses·sion·al·ly adverb

Examples of OBSESSION

1. He was fascinated by the actress and tracking her every move had become an obsession.
2. She has an obsession about cleanliness.
3. Her concern about cleanliness approaches the level of obsession.
4. Money has become an obsession for him.

First Known Use of OBSESSION

1680

Related to OBSESSION

Synonyms: fetish (also fetich), idée fixe, mania, fixation, preoccupation, prepossession

Related Words: monomania; complex, hang-up, problem, trip; appetite, cacoëthes, compulsion, craving, desire, drive, enthusiasm, fascination, hankering, hunger, infatuation, itch, longing, lust, passion, pining, thirst, urge, yearning, yen; idiosyncrasy, quirk; bent, disposition, inclination, leaning, partiality, penchant, predilection, predisposition, proclivity, propensity, tendency

Near Antonyms: apathy, disinterestedness, disregard, indifference, insouciance, nonchalance, unconcern, unconcernedness

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Other Psychology Terms

fetish, hypochondria, intelligence, mania, narcissism, neurosis, pathological, psychosis, schadenfreude, subliminal

Rhymes with OBSESSION

accession, aggression, bull session, compression, concession, confession, depression, digression, discretion, egression, expression, impression, ingression, jam session, oppression, precession, procession, profession, progression, recession, refreshen, regression, repression, secession, skull session, succession, suppression, transgression