First Known Use: 1531
Dictionary
obsess
verb ob·sess \əb-ˈses, äb-\
: to be the only person or thing that someone thinks or talks about
: to think and talk about someone or something too much
Full Definition of OBSESS
transitive verb
: to haunt or excessively preoccupy the mind of <was obsessed with the idea>
intransitive verb
See obsess defined for English-language learners
See obsess defined for kids
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Origin of OBSESS
Rhymes with OBSESS
abscess, access, address, aggress, assess, bench-press, caress, clothespress, coatdress, cold-press, compress, confess, cross-dress, CS, depress, de-stress, digress, distress, drill press, egress, excess, express, finesse, fluoresce, French press, full-dress, handpress, headdress, housedress, idlesse, impress, ingress, Meknes, much less, nightdress, noblesse, no less, oppress, outguess, possess, precess, prestress, princess, process, profess, progress, recess, redress, regress, re-press, repress, shirtdress, side-dress, SS, success, sundress, suppress, tendresse, top-dress, transgress, undress, unless, web press, winepress, word stress
OBSESS Defined for Kids
obsess
verb ob·sess \əb-ˈses\
ob·sessedob·sess·ing
Definition of OBSESS for Kids
: to occupy the thoughts of completely or abnormally <A new scheme obsesses him.>
Medical Dictionary
obsess
transitive verb ob·sess \əb-ˈses, äb-\
Medical Definition of OBSESS
: to preoccupy intensely or abnormally <was obsessed with success>
intransitive verb
: to engage in obsessive thinking <solve problems rather than obsess about them—Carol Tavris>
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Next Word in the Dictionary: obsessedlyPrevious Word in the Dictionary: observerAll Words Near: obsess
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