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Glite Dictionary
to obsess

to obsess

304 5.5
To think about something so much that it makes you worried
  • verb
  • /əˈbɛs/
translation icon : obsesionar
  • She cannot help but obsess over every detail of her wedding plans.
  • become obsessed
  • obsessed with the idea
  • obsessed with sex

So she's moved on from female sports teams, and she's now obsessing over tennis players.

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Examples

  • One famous novel concerns a man obsessed with a woman who is socially above him.

    Academic text (1999)

  • This man has spent his whole life obsessed with trains.

  • The smart thing to do is to obsess over the process.

  • And it's just, I was like, I am going to obsess over this.

  • Because nobody can obsess like I can.

    Blades of Glory (2007)

  • But boy oh boy I am obsessed with this look.

  • My brother was obsessed with Italy.

    Last Chance Charlene (2022)

  • And my mom is obsessed with the Olympics.

  • What's the one thing humans are obsessed with?

    Strays (2023)

  • Golden rule is don't become obsessed with one thing.

Synonyms

to preoccupy
vsto obsess
70 6.3

To take all of someone's attention so they cannot think of other things

is more intense and troubling not merely serious or formal
to fixate
vsto obsess
46 7.0

To think about someone or something all the time

is broader referring to dominating thoughts not only narrow emotional focus
to obsess about
vsto obsess
26 6.0

Think too much about something so you feel unhappy

is the same meaning but used without the added preposition
to brood over
vsto obsess
3 6.7

Think about something in a worried way for a long time

is more intrusive and dominating rather than just anxious long thought
to get stuck on
vsto obsess
2 5.4

To keep thinking about a small detail and not move forward

is broader often involving major worries rather than only small issues
to live rent-free in someone's head
vsto obsess
  • Slang
8.4

To stay constantly in someone's thoughts and annoy them

is similar but can be voluntary or not necessarily unwanted
to hang over someone's head
vsto obsess
7.6

Keep someone worried about something bad that might happen

is a present dominating thought rather than a future threatening worry

Antonyms

to ignore
∞ 1.0

Choose not to pay attention to someone or something

to disregard
119 3.9

Ignore something or someone on purpose

Phrasal Verbs

to obsess about
26 6.0

Think too much about something so you feel unhappy

How Obsessed

to obsess
304 5.5
to fixate
46 7.0
to worry about
∞ 2.0
to consider
∞ 1.1
to think about
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

obsess infinitive
obsessing present participle
obsesses third person singular
obsessed past
obsessed past participle

Etymology

The word obsess comes from the Latin parts ob- and sedere, where sedere means 'to sit' and is the same root as English sit. A helpful image is a thought that 'sits' on your mind and will not go away, which explains why to obsess is to have one idea fill and control your thinking.