Compulsive
//kəmˈpʌlsɪv// adj, noun
adj, noun ·Moderate ·College level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 One who exhibits compulsive behaviours.
- 2 a person with a compulsive disposition; someone who feels compelled to do certain things wordnet
Adjective
- 1 Uncontrolled or reactive and irresistible.
"Jenny is a compulsive liar—don't believe a thing she says."
- 2 Having power to compel; exercising or applying compulsion.
"Religion is […] inconsistent with all compulsive Motives."
Adjective
- 1 strongly motivated to succeed wordnet
- 2 caused by or suggestive of psychological compulsion wordnet
Example
More examples"Once a habit has been acquired, it almost has compulsive power over us."
Etymology
Borrowed from French compulsif, formed from Latin compulsus, past participle of compellere (“to compel”), from com- (“together”) + pellere (“to drive”).
Related phrases
More for "compulsive"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.