noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
UK, US:/əbˈsɛʃən/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɛʃən
CMU ARPABET:AH0 B S EH1 SH AH0 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The quality of being obsessed; an unshakeable feeling that one topic or activity must be pursued above other interests.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
Examples
My obsession with rugby resulted in me spending years following the sport.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: obsessedness
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
An idea that engenders a compulsive or irrational preoccupation, or the preoccupation thereby engendered.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
Examples
The downfall of the chairman is an obsession that consumes Laura's time.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: idée fixe
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
An activity or entity that inspires a compulsive and potentially unhealthy fixation, or the fixation thereby inspired.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
Examples
Editing Wikipedia started as a hobby, but it's turned into a complete obsession of mine.
His current obsession is getting that law passed.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
Influence or control by evil spirits without possession.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
an unhealthy and compulsive preoccupation with something or someone
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: fixation
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: preoccupation
6
noun
Meaning 6
an irrational motive for performing trivial or repetitive actions, even against your will
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
her compulsion to wash her hands repeatedly
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: compulsion
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: irrational motive
Narrower terms: onomatomania
History
Etymology
From Latin obsessio (“a besieging”), from obsidere (“to besiege”); see obsess. Equivalent to obsess + -ion.
Across languages
Translations
89 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
هَوَس
(hawas)
— state of being obsessed
Georgian:
აკვიატება
(aḳviaṭeba)
— state of being obsessed
Georgian:
ობსესია
(obsesia)
— state of being obsessed
Marathi:
ध्यास
(dhyās)
— state of being obsessed
Polish:
obsesjonalność
— state of being obsessed
Polish:
obsesyjność
— state of being obsessed
Russian:
одержи́мость
(oderžímostʹ)
— state of being obsessed
Ukrainian:
одержи́мість
(oderžýmistʹ)
— state of being obsessed
Afrikaans:
obsessie
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Arabic:
هَوَس
(hawas)
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Bulgarian:
натрапчива идея
(natrapčiva ideja)
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Catalan:
obsessió
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Czech:
posedlost
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Czech:
obsese
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Danish:
tvangstanke
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Dutch:
obsessie
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Dutch:
bezetenheid
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Finnish:
pakkomielle
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
French:
idée fixe
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Georgian:
აკვიატება
(aḳviaṭeba)
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
German:
fixe Idee
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Greek:
ιδεοληψία
(ideolipsía)
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Greek:
εμμονή
(emmoní)
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Hebrew:
אובססיה
(obsésya)
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Hungarian:
rögeszme
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Hungarian:
fixa idea
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Icelandic:
þráhyggja
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Italian:
ossessione
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Latvian:
apsēstība
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Māori:
whakamaimoa
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Māori:
hemonga
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Marathi:
ध्यास
(dhyās)
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Norwegian Bokmål:
besettelse
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Persian:
وسواس
(vasvâs)
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Plautdietsch:
Besätenheit
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Polish:
obsesja
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Portuguese:
obsessão
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Romanian:
idee fixă
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Romanian:
obsesie
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Russian:
навя́зчивая иде́я
(navjázčivaja idéja)
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Russian:
иде́я-фикс
(idéja-fiks)
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Scottish Gaelic:
beò-ghlacadh
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Serbo-Croatian:
opsednutost
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Spanish:
obsesión
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Swedish:
besatthet
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Tagalog:
himaling
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Turkish:
saplantı
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Turkish:
takıntı
— compulsive or irrational preoccupation — see also idée fixe
Afrikaans:
obsessie
— unhealthy fixation
Bulgarian:
мания
(manija)
— unhealthy fixation
Catalan:
obsessió
— unhealthy fixation
Chinese Mandarin:
著迷
— unhealthy fixation
Chinese Mandarin:
着迷
(zháomí)
— unhealthy fixation
