obsession

noun

äb-ˈse-shən How to pronounce obsession (audio)
Definition of obsessionnext
as in problem
something about which one is constantly thinking or concerned her latest obsession is a movie star who she thinks is very handsome

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of obsession The film, a surprise hit earning over $475 million worldwide on a minuscule budget, centers on Nikki's dangerous obsession with a co-worker after a Faustian bargain with a One Wish Willow. — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 This man was obsessed with Heather Snyder … Prosecutors painted a picture of that obsession — showing an image taken nearly seven months before the murder, of a car Holbrook also owned, near Joe Shymanski's house. — Nikki Battiste, CBS News, 9 Aug. 2026 Schoenbrun has given us the entire life cycle of an intellectual property in three minutes, a sneak preview of the affection, the brilliance, and the sense of obsession to come. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2026 Together, the collections make a compelling case that fashion’s fascination with the sea isn’t just a fleeting summer obsession. — Amanda Le, InStyle, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for obsession
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obsession
  1. problem
  2. fascination
  3. preoccupation
  4. fixation
  5. fetish
  6. mania
  7. enthusiasm
Noun
  • The property's listing agent told CBS News Bay Area that Iriarte-Valdez had mentioned experiencing financial problems and that the home appeared to be headed toward foreclosure.
    — Maddie White, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Defensiveness extends conversations, weakens credibility and drains emotional energy that could have been directed toward solving problems.
    — Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of problem
Noun
  • There he was routinely beaten, an experience which instilled in him a lifelong fascination with flagellation and pain.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026
  • But there was a kind of bemusement with our fascination with the Wild West and our fixation on cowboys, and a sense that America has gone off the rails.
    — Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of fascination
Noun
  • For centuries, getting lost was a major preoccupation—something that could prove life-changing, even life-ending.
    — Shayla Love, New Yorker, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Sleep specialists call it orthosomnia, a preoccupation with hitting perfect sleep numbers that ends up sabotaging the sleep itself.
    — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of preoccupation
Noun
  • Also key to the president's grass fixation is his love of golf.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Also key to the president’s grass fixation is his love of golf.
    — Will Weissert, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of fixation
Noun
  • Tupper’s Mick, at the mercy of his brittle fetishes, may be the most believable of this quartet.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026
  • The screen is big, the image is sharp and bright, but Nolan’s visual compositions are dull—just pictures of actors acting, without style or poetry—and his fetish for size is just bombast and vanity.
    — Caroline Mimbs Nyce, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
Definition of fetish
Noun
  • Postpartum psychosis is a rare but serious medical emergency characterized by severe, rapid onset psychiatric episodes such as mania, depression or hallucinations.
    — Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • All the mining operations have pivoted their best GPUs to the data center mania.
    — Josh Brown,Sean Russo, CNBC, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of mania
Noun
  • Do not let enthusiasm skip the part where others need a clear role today.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Or are younger, progressive voters who might be open to democratic socialism being over-sampled due to their very public enthusiasm?
    — Chris Brennan, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of enthusiasm

Browse Nearby Words

obsessing (over)
obsession
obsessional
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Obsession.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obsession. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on obsession

Nglish: Translation of obsession for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about obsession

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