obsession
gb/əbsˈɛʃən/ us/əbsˈɛʃən/
B2
Engleză
~ 7800
Sensuri
0 sensuri
Substantiv
B2
state
1
very strong, often unhealthy focus
A very strong feeling or interest that makes you think about someone or something all the time, often too much.
Tipar de utilizare:
have an obsession with [something]
Greșeală frecventă:
Learners often confuse "obsession" with "passion". "Passion" is usually positive and healthy, while "obsession" often suggests something too strong or unhealthy. Another common mistake is using the wrong preposition: it is usually "obsession with" (e.g. "her obsession with fashion"), not *"obsession of"*. Also, remember to use an article: say "an obsession" or "his obsession", not *"he has obsession with games"*.
Sinonime
fixation (Suggests being stuck on one thing, often sounding slightly technical or psychological.)
|
preoccupation (Sounds a little milder and more formal, and does not always imply something unhealthy.)
|
mania (Informal; often suggests wild or extreme enthusiasm, sometimes shared by many people.)
|
obsessiveness (Refers more to the general quality of being obsessed rather than to one specific focus.)
Antonime
disinterest (Lack of interest or concern, the opposite of intense mental focus.)
|
detachment (Calm distance and lack of emotional involvement, the opposite of being mentally gripped by something.)
Colocații
have an obsession
|an unhealthy obsession
|obsession with work
|bordering on obsession
|become an obsession
|a bit of an obsession
Teme
emotions
|psychology
|daily_life
|health
|core_vocabulary
Exemple
- His obsession with social media is starting to affect his sleep and his grades.
- The documentary explores our cultural obsession with fame and celebrity.
- Her neatness goes beyond simple tidiness and borders on obsession.
- The coach’s obsession with winning put a lot of pressure on the team.
- She talks about her diet so often that it feels like an obsession.
Exemple pentru cursanți
- He has an obsession with video games and plays every night.
- Her obsession with her appearance makes her check the mirror all the time.
- Their father’s obsession with money causes many fights at home.
- My friend’s obsession with his phone makes it hard to talk to him.
- The actor’s obsession with success pushes him to work very long hours.
Substantiv
B2
entity
2
thing someone is obsessed with
The person, thing, or activity that someone is obsessed with or thinks about all the time.
Tipar de utilizare:
[something] is [someone]'s obsession
Greșeală frecventă:
Learners sometimes say *"I have an obsession about football"* instead of "I have an obsession with football" or simply "Football is my obsession." Another mistake is using "obsession" for a normal interest. In many situations, "favorite thing" or "hobby" is better if the feeling is not very strong or constant.
Sinonime
passion (Often more positive and creative; does not always imply something unhealthy.)
|
craze (Usually temporary and often shared by many people; more playful or trendy than "obsession".)
|
hobby (Neutral and weaker; a regular activity you enjoy, not usually something that dominates your thoughts.)
Antonime
indifference (Total lack of interest in a person or thing, the opposite of having it as an obsession.)
Colocații
childhood obsession
|new obsession
|current obsession
|lifelong obsession
|secret obsession
|my latest obsession
Teme
daily_life
|emotions
|culture
|core_vocabulary
Exemple
- Running has become his new obsession, and he signs up for every race he can find.
- As a teenager, that band was my absolute obsession.
- Their dog is their shared obsession; they talk about him constantly.
- For a while, online chess was her main obsession.
- True crime podcasts are his latest obsession.
Exemple pentru cursanți
- Cooking is her new obsession.
- When I was a child, dinosaurs were my big obsession.
- Right now, this TV series is my obsession.
- His secret obsession is old horror movies.
- Soccer was his childhood obsession.
Substantiv
technical
C1
entity
3
intrusive, distressing recurring thought
In mental health, a thought, picture, or feeling that comes into your mind again and again, that you do not want, and that makes you feel very upset.
Tipar de utilizare:
experience obsessions about [something]
Greșeală frecventă:
Learners often do not realize that in medical contexts "obsession" has a specific meaning: an unwanted, repeated thought or image that causes distress. It is not simply a strong interest. In this sense, it is usually used in the plural ("obsessions") and often contrasted with "compulsions" in discussions of OCD.
Sinonime
intrusive thought (Clinical/technical phrase that highlights the unwanted and involuntary nature of the thought.)
Antonime
voluntary thought (A thought that a person chooses to have, which contrasts with the involuntary nature of an obsession in this sense.)
Colocații
recurrent obsessions
|intrusive obsessions
|obsessions and compulsions
|obsessions about contamination
|treat obsessions
|OCD-related obsessions
Teme
psychology
|medicine
|health
|science
Exemple
- Patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder often report obsessions about contamination or harm.
- Therapy helped her challenge the obsessions that made simple daily tasks feel impossible.
- These obsessions are unwanted, and the patient recognizes that they are a product of their own mind.
- Medication can reduce the intensity of obsessions and make them easier to manage.
- His obsessions were mainly images of accidents happening to his family.
Exemple pentru cursanți
- People with OCD can have strong obsessions about dirt or germs.
- The doctor explained that his scary thoughts were obsessions, not real dangers.
- Her obsessions make her wash her hands many times every day.
- Treatment can help people who suffer from painful obsessions.
- These obsessions are not wishes; they are thoughts she does not want.
Gramatică
Forma de dicționar
obsession
IPA
GB/əbsˈɛʃən/
US/əbsˈɛʃən/
Silabe și accent
ob - ses - sion (3 silabe)
Stress on 2nd syllable (ses)
Forme ale cuvântului
Noun
- Base: obsession
- Plural: obsession, obsessions
Familie de cuvinte
Expresii
a bit of an obsession
1/ə bˈɪt əv ən əbsˈɛʃən/
fixed phrase
informal
somewhat strong obsession
A fairly strong interest that you think about a lot, often said in a light or joking way.
Exemple
- I have a bit of an obsession with coffee mugs.
- Her color-coded planner is a bit of an obsession.
- He admits he has a bit of an obsession with sneakers.
an obsession with detail
1/ən əbsˈɛʃən wˈɪθ dˈiteɪl/
fixed phrase
very strong focus on details
A very strong need to look at and control every small part of something.
Exemple
- The director’s obsession with detail made the film visually perfect.
- Her obsession with detail is great for accounting but tiring for her coworkers.
- The restaurant is known for its obsession with detail in every dish.
an unhealthy obsession with
1/ən ʌnhˈɛlθi əbsˈɛʃən wˈɪθ/
fixed phrase
harmful level of obsession
A very strong interest in something that is so strong it starts to hurt your life, health, or relationships.
Exemple
- The movie shows the dangers of an unhealthy obsession with beauty.
- He has an unhealthy obsession with checking his work email at all hours.
- Some teenagers develop an unhealthy obsession with how many likes they get online.
border on obsession
1/bˈɔɹdɚ ˈɔn əbsˈɛʃən/
fixed phrase
be almost an obsession
To be so strong or extreme that it is almost an obsession.
Exemple
- His attention to detail borders on obsession.
- Her need to control the schedule borders on obsession.
- The fans’ love for the singer sometimes borders on obsession.
develop an obsession with
1/dɪvˈɛləp ən əbsˈɛʃən wˈɪθ/
fixed phrase
start to become obsessed with
To slowly start to feel obsessed with something, so that you think about it all the time.
Exemple
- During the pandemic, many people developed an obsession with baking bread.
- He developed an obsession with learning languages after his trip abroad.
- She has recently developed an obsession with online shopping.
have an obsession with
1/hˈæv ən əbsˈɛʃən wˈɪθ/
fixed phrase
be extremely interested in
To like or think about something or someone so much that it feels too strong or too constant.
Exemple
- He has an obsession with fitness and spends hours at the gym every day.
- She has an obsession with true crime shows and watches them late into the night.
- They have an obsession with perfection that slows every project down.
my latest obsession
1/mˈaɪ lˈeɪtɪst əbsˈɛʃən/
fixed phrase
informal
new thing I'm obsessed with
The newest thing that you are very into and think or talk about a lot.
Exemple
- This podcast is my latest obsession; I listen to it every morning.
- Her latest obsession is indoor plants, and the apartment is full of them.
- Right now, Korean dramas are my latest obsession.
turn into an obsession
1/tˈɚn ˈɪntu ən əbsˈɛʃən/
fixed phrase
change from interest to obsession
To change from a normal interest into something you think about too much.
Exemple
- What started as a casual interest turned into an obsession.
- Checking the news has turned into an obsession for him.
- For some people, healthy eating can turn into an obsession.