The obsessed meaning is having your mind filled with one person, thing or idea so much that it is hard to think about anything else. In casual talk it is often light and happy: "I'm obsessed with this new soup recipe." In serious use it suggests something unhealthy, a thought you cannot switch off.
Tone and situation tell you which sense is meant. Below is a plain obsessed definition for each use, the grammar that goes with it, how it compares with passionate and addicted, and a short history of a word that once meant being besieged by spirits.
Entry at a glance
Meaning
Completely taken up with thoughts of something or someonePart of speech
Adjective (from the verb obsess)Pronunciation
ub-SESTWord forms
obsess, obsession, obsessive, obsessivelyOrigin
Latin obsidere, to besiege, literally to sit againstUsual preposition
obsessed with; also obsessed byRegister
Informal when playful; neutral or clinical when serious
Obsessed meaning in English: the two main uses
- Playful and positive. Loving something a lot right now. Friends say they are obsessed with a series, a snack, a song or a new hobby. It means "I can't get enough of it", nothing more worrying.
- Serious and negative. Being unable to stop thinking about something, in a way that harms your life or other people. "He became obsessed with his ex and kept checking her location." Here the word signals a problem.
A useful test: if the person could easily put the thing aside for a week, the playful sense is likely. If the thought crowds out sleep, work or relationships, the serious sense fits.
Examples in sentences
- My nephew is obsessed with trains and can name every engine type at the station.
- She was so obsessed with getting a perfect score that she stopped going out with friends.
- We're a little obsessed with this beach town; we've visited three summers running.
- The detective became obsessed by the one case he never solved.
- Stop obsessing over the email you sent; it was fine.
A student checks the exam results page forty times in one evening, cannot eat dinner, and replays every answer in her head.
She is obsessed in the serious sense: the thought has taken over, and it is causing real stress.
Grammar: obsessed with, obsess over
The adjective usually takes with: obsessed with football, obsessed with cleanliness. By also works, especially in writing, and adds a sense of being gripped from outside: obsessed by fear. Obsessed about is heard in speech but is less standard.
The verb obsess works two ways. You can obsess over or about something ("I obsess over small mistakes"), or something can obsess you ("the question obsessed her for years"). The noun is obsession, and obsessive describes a person or habit that shows it: obsessive checking, an obsessive fan.
Obsessed compared with nearby words
| Word | Core idea | Usual tone |
|---|---|---|
| obsessed | Mind filled by one thing | Playful or worrying |
| passionate | Strong, lasting love for an activity or cause | Positive |
| addicted | Unable to stop doing or using something | Negative, or jokey for hobbies |
| infatuated | Short, intense attraction to a person | Mild, a bit foolish |
| fixated | Stuck on one detail or idea | Negative |
Being obsessed with a person in a romantic way sits close to limerence, the intense longing of early attraction. Needing constant contact may be called clingy.
From sieges and spirits to everyday talk
The history is surprising. The verb obsess appears around 1500 meaning to besiege, from Latin obsessus, the past form of obsidere, to sit opposite or against, as an army sits outside a city. By the 1530s it was used of evil spirits troubling a person from outside, as opposed to possessing them from within. The adjective obsessed first meant tormented or haunted.
The modern idea of a mind gripped by a fixed thought grew from the late 19th century, when doctors began writing about intrusive ideas, and ordinary speakers picked it up during the 20th century.
A word about obsessions in mental health
In psychology, an obsession means an unwanted, intrusive thought, image or urge that keeps coming back and causes distress. It is a key feature of obsessive compulsive disorder, where people may also feel driven to repeat actions to ease the anxiety. That is very different from being "obsessed" with a new phone case, so it helps not to use the clinical words lightly.
Our people and feelings hub gathers words about moods and inner life; see also neurotic.
Frequently asked questions
What does obsessed mean in simple words?
You think about something or someone almost all the time. People use it both for harmless crazes and for thoughts that have become a problem.
Is being obsessed a good thing?
In casual use it is usually positive, meaning you really love something. In serious use it suggests the thought is taking over your life, which is not healthy.
Is it obsessed with or obsessed about?
Obsessed with is the standard form. Obsessed by is also correct, and obsessed about is common in speech but less accepted in formal writing.
What is the noun of obsessed?
The noun is obsession. For example: "Cooking became her obsession during the holidays."
How do you pronounce obsessed?
Say ub-SEST; the second beat is the strong one. The ending sounds like "best".
What is the meaning of obsessed when said about a person?
It can mean a strong crush, or it can describe unhealthy fixation, such as constant checking or following. Context and behavior tell you which.