as in jealous
intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness
he was very possessive of his girlfriend's attention, and it was really starting to annoy her
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Recent Examples of possessive
Is Klute a better man than the abusive johns and pimps in Bree’s life or just more timidly possessive?
—
A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 25 June 2024
Your child is just learning about sharing and taking turns, but may also still be very possessive of their toys, which can lead to meltdowns during play.4
At the same time, your child is starting to learn empathy.
—Alex Vance, Parents, 31 Oct. 2024
Saltburn, for all its provocations and eyebrow piercings, grabbed attention not because of the plain existence of a cum-slurpy bathtub scene but because Keoghan delivered the creepy possessive longing necessary to sell it.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2024
Your partnerships tend to be all-or-nothing — or rather, become possessive instead.
—Kyle Thomas, Peoplemag, 22 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for possessive 
A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 25 June 2024
Your child is just learning about sharing and taking turns, but may also still be very possessive of their toys, which can lead to meltdowns during play.4
At the same time, your child is starting to learn empathy.
—Alex Vance, Parents, 31 Oct. 2024
Saltburn, for all its provocations and eyebrow piercings, grabbed attention not because of the plain existence of a cum-slurpy bathtub scene but because Keoghan delivered the creepy possessive longing necessary to sell it.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2024
Your partnerships tend to be all-or-nothing — or rather, become possessive instead.
—Kyle Thomas, Peoplemag, 22 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for possessive
Thesaurus Entries Near possessive
Cite this Entry
“Possessive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/possessive. Accessed 13 Feb. 2025.
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