compulsive
gb/kəmpˈʌlsɪv/ us/kəmpˈʌlsɪv/
B2
Inglês
Aceções
0 aceções
adjective
B2
property
1
Hard to control or resist
If a behavior is compulsive, a person feels they must do it again and again, even if they want to stop.
Padrão de uso:
compulsive [behavior/habit/urge]; compulsive [doing something]
Erro comum:
Do not confuse compulsive with compulsory. Compulsory means required by a rule or law.
Sinónimos
uncontrollable (emphasizes that the person cannot easily stop it)
|
obsessive (emphasizes repeated thoughts or intense focus)
|
addictive (often used when a behavior or activity creates dependence)
Antónimos
controlled (done with self-control rather than an overpowering urge)
|
voluntary (chosen freely, without a feeling of being forced internally)
|
restrained (kept within limits)
Colocações
compulsive behavior
|compulsive eating
|compulsive gambling
|compulsive shopping
|compulsive checking
|compulsive lying
|compulsive urge
|compulsive need
|compulsive spending
|compulsive use
Temas
behavior
|mental_health
|habits
Exemplos
- His compulsive checking of his phone made it hard for him to focus at work.
- The app was criticized for encouraging compulsive spending.
- She sought help for compulsive eating after years of trying to manage it alone.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- He has a compulsive habit of checking the door.
- Compulsive gambling can cause serious problems.
adjective
B2
property
2
Habitually driven person
A compulsive person keeps doing something again and again and finds it hard to stop.
Padrão de uso:
a compulsive [liar/gambler/shopper]; [someone] is compulsive about [something]
Erro comum:
Compulsive usually describes an unhealthy or extreme repeated habit, not just something someone likes doing a lot.
Sinónimos
habitual (emphasizes that the behavior happens regularly; less psychological)
|
obsessive (suggests an extreme mental focus on something)
|
addicted (stronger; suggests dependence on a substance or activity)
Antónimos
casual (not intense, repeated, or driven by a strong urge)
|
self-controlled (able to manage impulses)
|
moderate (not excessive or extreme)
Colocações
compulsive liar
|compulsive gambler
|compulsive shopper
|compulsive eater
|compulsive hoarder
|compulsive spender
|compulsive collector
|compulsive talker
Temas
people
|behavior
|habits
Exemplos
- He was a compulsive liar, and even his friends stopped believing him.
- A compulsive gambler may keep betting despite serious financial losses.
- She is compulsive about cleaning, especially when she feels anxious.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- He is a compulsive shopper.
- A compulsive liar lies very often.
adjective
C1
property
3
Irresistibly interesting
If a book, show, or story is compulsive, it is so interesting that you do not want to stop.
Padrão de uso:
compulsive [reading/viewing/listening]
Erro comum:
This meaning is positive or neutral and is usually used for books, TV, films, games, or stories, not for ordinary duties.
Sinónimos
gripping (very exciting and holds your attention)
|
compelling (powerfully interesting or persuasive)
|
addictive (informal; makes you want more and more)
Antónimos
boring (not interesting)
|
dull (lacking excitement or energy)
|
unengaging (does not hold attention)
Colocações
compulsive reading
|compulsive viewing
|compulsive listening
|compulsive watching
|compulsive storytelling
|compulsive drama
|compulsive novel
|compulsive podcast
Temas
entertainment
|media
|books
Exemplos
- The documentary makes compulsive viewing, even if you know how the story ends.
- Her memoir is compulsive reading from the first page.
- The podcast became compulsive listening for fans of true crime.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- The show is compulsive viewing.
- This book is compulsive reading.
Gramática
Forma de dicionário
compulsive
IPA
GB/kəmpˈʌlsɪv/
US/kəmpˈʌlsɪv/
Sílabas e acento
com - puls - ive (3 sílabas)
Stress on 2nd syllable (puls)
Formas da palavra
Adjective
- Base: compulsive
Expressões
compulsive eating
1/kəmpˈʌlsɪv ˈitɪŋ/
fixed phrase
Uncontrolled repeated eating
Compulsive eating is eating because you feel a strong urge, not just because you are hungry, and finding it hard to stop.
Exemplos
- Stress made her compulsive eating worse.
- The program helps people understand the emotions behind compulsive eating.
- He talked openly about years of compulsive eating and shame around food.
compulsive gambler
1/kəmpˈʌlsɪv ɡˈæmblɚ/
fixed phrase
Person unable to stop gambling
A compulsive gambler cannot easily stop gambling, even when it causes problems.
Exemplos
- He admitted he was a compulsive gambler after losing most of his savings.
- The charity runs a helpline for compulsive gamblers and their families.
- A compulsive gambler may keep betting in an attempt to win back losses.
compulsive hoarding
1/kəmpˈʌlsɪv hˈɔɹdɪŋ/
fixed phrase
Uncontrolled saving of possessions
Compulsive hoarding means keeping too many things and finding it very hard to throw them away.
Exemplos
- Compulsive hoarding can make a home unsafe to live in.
- The documentary followed families affected by compulsive hoarding.
- Therapy helped him understand the anxiety behind his compulsive hoarding.
compulsive liar
1/kəmpˈʌlsɪv lˈaɪɚ/
fixed phrase
person who lies repeatedly by habit
A person who lies again and again because they feel a strong need or habit to lie.
Exemplos
- She described her ex-boyfriend as a compulsive liar who could never tell a straight story.
- If he is a compulsive liar, it will be hard for you to know when he is honest.
compulsive liar
1/kəmpˈʌlsɪv lˈaɪɚ/
fixed phrase
Habitual uncontrolled liar
A compulsive liar is someone who lies again and again and finds it hard to stop.
Exemplos
- After years of excuses, she realized he was a compulsive liar.
- The article describes him as a compulsive liar who invented stories about his past.
- It is hard to rebuild trust when people think you are a compulsive liar.
compulsive shopping
1/kəmpˈʌlsɪv ʃˈɑpɪŋ/
fixed phrase
Uncontrolled repeated buying
Compulsive shopping is shopping again and again because of a strong urge, even when it causes problems.
Exemplos
- Online stores can make compulsive shopping easier to hide.
- She joined a support group to deal with compulsive shopping.
- Compulsive shopping left him with credit card debt he could not manage.
obsessive-compulsive
1/əbsˈɛsɪv kəmpˈʌlsɪv/
fixed phrase
technical
having OCD-like traits
Obsessive-compulsive means related to OCD or similar repeated thoughts and actions.
Exemplos
- The clinician noted obsessive-compulsive symptoms, including repeated hand-washing.
- He described obsessive-compulsive behaviors that took hours each day.
obsessive-compulsive
1/əbsˈɛsɪv kəmpˈʌlsɪv/
fixed phrase
Related to obsessions and compulsions
Obsessive-compulsive behavior involves repeated unwanted thoughts and repeated actions that are hard to stop.
Exemplos
- The therapist asked about his obsessive-compulsive symptoms.
- She showed some obsessive-compulsive tendencies, especially around checking locks.
- The study looked at obsessive-compulsive behavior in children and teenagers.
obsessive-compulsive disorder
1/əbsˈɛsɪv kəmpˈʌlsɪv dɪsˈɔɹdɚ/
fixed phrase
technical
OCD mental health condition
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is when unwanted thoughts and repeated actions are hard to control.
Exemplos
- He was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder in his twenties.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder can involve compulsive checking or mental rituals.
- Treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder often includes therapy and, sometimes, medication.
obsessive-compulsive disorder
1/əbsˈɛsɪv kəmpˈʌlsɪv dɪsˈɔɹdɚ/
fixed phrase
technical
Anxiety-related mental health condition
Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, is a condition that makes someone have repeated unwanted thoughts and do repeated actions to reduce anxiety.
Exemplos
- She was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder in her early twenties.
- Treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder often includes therapy and sometimes medication.
- His obsessive-compulsive disorder made everyday tasks take much longer.