possessive

Examples

• All

• - My husband is a jealous man, he's controlling, he's possessive, he believes what he wants to believe.

  Cold Play (2008)

• Our image has nothing to do with us, even though we may feel possessive about it.

  Academic text (1999)

• The man who is possessive is trying to control you.

  Stephan Speaks

• But every time I try to play with it, he gets so possessive.

  Strays (2023)

• Was your sister ever jealous or possessive of you and any of your relationships?

• That adds up to a jealous, possessive woman.

  The Birds (1963)

• She was very jealous and possessive of my time.

  Bernie (2012)

• I snugged the baby tight against my chest, feeling suddenly possessive and protective.

  Fiction book (1996)

• Down here, Vandewalle exudes a possessive air of authority.

  Academic text (2009)

• Prue's indignation at Tremaine's possessive manner was forgotten as she stepped into his magnificent library.

  Fiction book (2001)

Synonyms

C

covetous

vspossessive

3 8.4

Wanting very much to have something that belongs to someone else

includes wanting control and not sharing, even over people

Antonyms

G

generous

328 1.6

Willing to give more than is expected, especially money or time

U

unselfish

19 2.0

Willing to put other people's needs before your own

Compounds

P

possessive case

• Specialized

4.4

A word form that shows who something belongs to, for example John's book

P

possessive pronoun

• Specialized

2.0

A word that shows who owns something, like mine or yours

How Possessive

domineering

12 7.4

controlling

4.2

possessive

24 3.8

independent

984 2.3

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology