obsession
noun
ob·ses·sion
äb-ˈse-shən 
əb-
1
: a persistent disturbing preoccupation with an often unreasonable idea or feeling
broadly
: compelling motivation
an obsession with profits
has an obsession with gambling
He's concerned about cleanliness to the point of obsession.
2
: something that causes an obsession
Losing weight can be an obsession that results in the avoidance of certain foods.
obsessionally
adverb
Synonyms of obsession
Examples of obsession in a Sentence
He was fascinated by the actress and tracking her every move had become an obsession.
She has an obsession about cleanliness.
Her concern about cleanliness approaches the level of obsession.
Money has become an obsession for him.
Recent Examples on the Web
My obsession with the savory, comforting elixir born from braising greens just shy of an eternity began not with my grandmother, but with one of my best friends, Dana Stinson.
—
Josh Miller, Southern Living, 30 Dec. 2025
Prep-School Plaid Drawing inspiration from our current obsession with argyle knits and Ralph Lauren everything, plaid nails took over our feeds late in 2025.
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 30 Dec. 2025
The actress turned heads in a floor-sweeping leopard print coat, proving that the fashion world’s obsession with animal print is coming with us into 2026.
—Jordan Julian, InStyle, 30 Dec. 2025
Auteur director Park Chan-wook makes a meal of this concept in Decision to Leave, a romantic thriller in which a detective (Park Hae-il) develops an obsession with an enigmatic widow (Tang Wei) whose husband recently fell to his death, severely complicating the investigation.
—Ilana Gordon, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obsession
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Josh Miller, Southern Living, 30 Dec. 2025
Prep-School Plaid Drawing inspiration from our current obsession with argyle knits and Ralph Lauren everything, plaid nails took over our feeds late in 2025.
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 30 Dec. 2025
The actress turned heads in a floor-sweeping leopard print coat, proving that the fashion world’s obsession with animal print is coming with us into 2026.
—Jordan Julian, InStyle, 30 Dec. 2025
Auteur director Park Chan-wook makes a meal of this concept in Decision to Leave, a romantic thriller in which a detective (Park Hae-il) develops an obsession with an enigmatic widow (Tang Wei) whose husband recently fell to his death, severely complicating the investigation.
—Ilana Gordon, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obsession
Cite this Entry
“Obsession.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obsession. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
obsession
noun
ob·ses·sion
äb-ˈsesh-ən
əb-
: a disturbing concern with an idea or feeling that cannot be put out of mind even when it is seen to be unreasonable
also
: such a thought or feeling
Medical Definition
obsession
noun
ob·ses·sion
äb-ˈsesh-ən, əb-
: a persistent disturbing preoccupation with an often unreasonable idea or feeling
also
: something that causes such preoccupation compare compulsion, phobia
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