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Obsessiveness: meaning, definitions and examples

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obsessiveness

 

[ əbˈsɛsɪvnəs ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

mental health

The quality or state of being obsessive; preoccupation with a fixed idea or an unwanted feeling or emotion, often accompanied by symptoms of anxiety.

Synonyms

compulsion, fixation, obsession

Examples of usage

  • He was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder due to his obsessiveness with cleanliness.
  • Her obsessiveness about her appearance led to severe anxiety.
Context #2 | Noun

psychology

An excessive attachment to a particular person or thing, resulting in an inability to think about anything else.

Synonyms

devotion, infatuation, mania

Examples of usage

  • His obsessiveness towards her became a cause for concern among his friends.
  • The obsessiveness with his work affected his personal relationships.

Translations

Translations of the word "obsessiveness" in other languages:

🇵🇹 obsessividade

🇮🇳 विक्षिप्तता

🇩🇪 Besessenheit

🇮🇩 obsesif

🇺🇦 нав'язливість

🇵🇱 obsesyjność

🇯🇵 強迫性

🇫🇷 obsessionnalité

🇪🇸 obsesividad

🇹🇷 takıntılılık

🇰🇷 강박성

🇸🇦 هوس

🇨🇿 obsesivita

🇸🇰 obsesívnosť

🇨🇳 强迫性

🇸🇮 obsesivnost

🇮🇸 þráhyggja

🇰🇿 есін кіріп кету

🇬🇪 შეძალვა

🇦🇿 obsesivlik

🇲🇽 obsesión

Etymology

The word 'obsessiveness' derives from the verb 'obsess', which originated from the Latin word 'obsidere', meaning 'to besiege'. The term 'obsessive' was first used in the 19th century to describe a person who is preoccupied with certain thoughts or feelings. Over time, 'obsessiveness' has come to be associated with mental health and psychology, highlighting the intensity of fixation on a particular idea or emotion.

See also: obsess, obsessed, obsession, obsessive, obsessively.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #39,944, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.