compulsive

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“
So compulsive was the prod of his heart to gain to

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Definitions (8)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (3)

  1. adjective Having the capacity to compel: a frightening, compulsive novel.
  2. adjective Psychology Caused or conditioned by compulsion or obsession.
  3. noun A person with behavior patterns governed by a compulsion.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (1)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (1)

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Examples (39)

  • There are some that are repellent, but I read them because I have to finish them -- compulsive reader that I am -- I have to know. —  F ;SF - vol 093 issue 03 - September 1997
  • David Kestrel—rigid, compulsive, aloof—had put his life on the line, or at least thought he was doing so, to protect a brother officer toward whom his feelings were lukewarm at best. —  AHMM,July-August2008
  • If you really loved me you'd face up to the fact that you're an obsessive-compulsive, and get your wetware fixed so that you could pay me the attention I deserve. —  Asimov'sSF,January2007
  • Perfectionism is linked to depression, to anxiety disorders, to anorexia, to obsessive-compulsive disorder (Jared Kant's diagnosis), to insomnia. —  Boston.com Most Popular
  • Many bloggers and webmasters want to check their stats so often it borders on behavior that could be classified as obsessive-compulsive. —  Milblogging.com : The World's Largest Index of Military Blogs (Milblogs)
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Words tagged compulsive

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This word has been looked up 77 times.

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Etymologies (1)

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. = French compulsif = Spanish compulsivo, from Latin compulsus, past participle of compellere, compel: see compel, compulse.
 

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/kəmˈpəlsɪv/
by American Heritage

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