obsess
gb/əbsˈɛs/ us/əbsˈɛs/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B2
action
1
fill someone’s mind constantly
If something obsesses you, you cannot stop thinking about it.
Usage pattern:
[something] obsesses [someone]
Common mistake:
Do not say “I am obsess.” Say “I obsess over it” or “I am obsessed with it.”
Synonyms
preoccupy (More neutral and less emotional than obsess.)
|
consume (Suggests it takes up almost all attention.)
|
haunt (Often used for troubling thoughts or memories.)
Antonyms
distract (To pull someone’s attention away instead of fixing it on one thing.)
|
relieve (To reduce worry or mental pressure rather than intensify it.)
Collocations
be obsessed by something
|be obsessed with someone
|be obsessed with something
|an idea obsesses someone
|a fear obsesses someone
|a thought obsesses someone
|a question obsesses someone
|obsess someone for years
|obsess someone completely
|obsess someone constantly
Themes
emotions
|mental_health
|thinking
Examples
- The idea that he might have made a mistake obsessed him all week.
- After the interview, one awkward moment kept obsessing her.
- The question of why it happened still obsesses me.
Learner examples
- That small mistake obsesses me.
- The thought obsesses him.
Grammar
Dictionary form
obsess
IPA
GB/əbsˈɛs/
US/əbsˈɛs/
Syllables & stress
ob - sess (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (sess)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: obsess
- 3rd Person Singular: obsesses
- Present Participle: obsessing
- Past: obsessed
Word family
Expressions
be obsessed with
1/bˈi əbsˈɛst wˈɪθ/
fixed phrase
be unable to stop thinking
To like something very much or think about it all the time.
Examples
- She’s obsessed with true-crime podcasts right now.
- He became obsessed with getting everything perfect.
- Her parents worried he was obsessed with her.
don’t obsess (about it)
1/dˈoʊnt əbsˈɛs əbˈaʊt ˈɪt/
fixed phrase
don’t worry too much
Stop thinking about it so much.
Examples
- You apologized—don’t obsess about it now.
- Don’t obsess; it’s not a big deal.
- If it’s out of your control, don’t obsess about it.
obsess over
1/əbsˈɛs ˈoʊvɚ/
phrasal verb
think about something too much
To think about something too much and not be able to stop.
Examples
- Try not to obsess over what you said at the meeting.
- He’s been obsessing over that comment for days.
- Don’t obsess over every tiny detail—just finish the draft.