obsessionob‧ses‧sion /əbˈseʃən/ ●○○ noun [countable, uncountable] 
Gambling became an obsession, and he eventually lost everything.obsession with an unhealthy obsession with being thin The current obsession with exam results is actually harming children’s education. The game pachinko became a national obsession. He has an enthusiasm for art, to the point of obsession in my opinion. She looked after him with a devotion bordering on obsession.—obsessional adjectiveCOLLOCATIONSverbsbecome an obsession· For Rosie, losing weight had become an obsession.have an obsession· The poet seems to have an obsession with death.border on/upon obsession (=be almost as extreme as an obsession)· Sometimes his tidiness bordered on obsession.adjectivesa national obsession (=an obsession that the whole country has)· In Britain, the weather is a national obsession.an unhealthy obsession (=an obsession that is not normal)· Our society seems to have an unhealthy obsession with staying young.a dangerous obsession· Mark had a dangerous obsession with fast cars.a sexual obsession· Sexual obsessions can take many forms.the modern obsession with something· the modern obsession with celebrities' livesphrasesbe something of an obsession (=be almost as strong as an obsession)· The case became something of an obsession with him.to the point of obsession (=used to say that something has stopped being a normal interest and become an extreme one)· She was protective of her children, to the point of obsession.be in the grip of an obsession (=have extreme feelings of interest in something or someone)· At 15 I met Heather and instantly fell into the grip of an obsession.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Bowman has a dangerous obsession with speed.
- Freeing the hostages became his obsession.
- I knew that if I wasn't careful, my obsession for her could destroy me.
- Julia's desire to stay slim has become an obsession.
- Picasso's obsession with death and sickness greatly influenced his work.
- Are your obsessions terrestrial or eternal?
- Each group would be able to campaign for its particular obsession in public.
- Having undertaken the same journey in my own youth, I can testify to the authenticity of the obsession described.
- His real obsession was ever with the sensational effects of the titillating text.
- Not out of obsession with the abnormal; just for the pleasure.
- The gay life becomes a traumatic and life-changing obsession.
- This is the really menacing thing because in their obsession with proving themselves, they are pulling us all towards destruction.
- Whatever its source, the desire to go there had become an obsession with her.
Longman Language Activatoran obsession about someone or something
an unreasonably strong and continuous interest in someone or something, so that you cannot stop thinking about them and your behaviour is seriously affected: become an obsession/turn into an obsession: · Julia's desire to stay slim has become an obsession.obsession with/for: · Picasso's obsession with death and sickness greatly influenced his work.· I knew that if I wasn't careful, my obsession for her could destroy me.have an obsession: · Bowman has a dangerous obsession with speed.
a very strong desire for something or interest in something, especially one that affects a lot of people at the same time: mania for: · A mania for a game called Nibs ran through the school.· I had a mania for cleanliness, and once made him stay in all day while I washed all his clothes.religious/gambling etc mania: · Aunt Edna was scathing about her cousin's religious mania.
an unnaturally strong interest in or love for someone or something: fixation with/on: · our fixation with diet and fitness· The killing was the result of Dougherty's four year fixation with a co-worker who would not date him.
a very strong and unusual interest in a particular person, subject, or type of thing: fascination with/for: · What's your sudden fascination with my boyfriend?· Mark has a fascination for all things electrical.
an extremely strong and unreasonable interest in something: fetish for: · Americans seem to have a fetish for watering their golf courses.a foot/hair/animal etc fetish: · She told stories about the band's alcoholic binges, their arrests on drug charges, and even about one member's foot fetish.
a strong interest in one thing, usually because you are worried about it, which means that you cannot pay attention to other things: preoccupation with: · Georgina's preoccupation with her appearance takes up most of her time.· Writing a will is not evidence of a morbid preoccupation with death.
to have an obsession · My father always said I had an unhealthy obsession for spotty pop bands.· Our French teacher had a neurotic obsession with correct punctuation.
someone who is obsessed , has an obsession about someone or something: · Madonna was being stalked by an obsessed fan.obsessed by/with/about: · She was obsessed by Giles· He became obsessed in his old age with what to do with his immense wealth.· People are generally less obsessed about getting a tan than they used to be.
having an unreasonably strong and continuous interest in someone or something, so that you cannot stop thinking about them and your behaviour is seriously affected: · She's got this obsessive fear of losing control, so she never shows her emotions.· Deep anxiety can cause obsessive behaviour.obsessive about: · I try to look after my body as best I can, but I'm not obsessive about it.
to be unable to stop thinking about someone or something, even when you do not want to think about them: · Since the divorce, he hadn't been able to get Bonniet out of his mind.· She knew the story wasn't true, but she couldn't get it out of her mind.
informal to have an unreasonably strong interest in, liking for, or fear of something: · Joanne's got a thing about her hair. She's always changing the style.· The Captain had a thing about neat handwriting; in fact he couldn't bear to look at anything that wasn't beautifully written.
if something obsesses someone, or they obsess about it, they think about it all the time and cannot think about anything else: · The idea that she was being punished began to obsess her.obsess about: · Some women obsess about their thighs and stomachs.
to be continuously thinking about one subject so that you often talk about it when there is no reason to: · Boys of that age have a one track mind. All they think about is sex.
to have a strong and unnatural interest in something, so that you think about it a lot: · As a child, Quinlan had an unhealthy interest in death.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYverbs Gareth had an unhealthy interest in death.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
an extreme unhealthy interest in something or worry about something, which stops you from thinking about anything else: · For Rosie, losing weight had become an obsession.
· The poet seems to have an obsession with death.
(=be almost as extreme as an obsession)· Sometimes his tidiness bordered on obsession.
adjectives (=an obsession that the whole country has)· In Britain, the weather is a national obsession.
(=an obsession that is not normal)· Our society seems to have an unhealthy obsession with staying young.
· Mark had a dangerous obsession with fast cars.
· Sexual obsessions can take many forms.
· the modern obsession with celebrities' lives
phrases (=be almost as strong as an obsession)· The case became something of an obsession with him.
(=used to say that something has stopped being a normal interest and become an extreme one)· She was protective of her children, to the point of obsession.
(=have extreme feelings of interest in something or someone)· At 15 I met Heather and instantly fell into the grip of an obsession.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Gareth had an unhealthy interest in death.· But insiders say he is keen to make it a national obsession.· Jelani Gardner is just the latest symptom of a national obsession that is running the college game straight into the ground.· It's turning the Games into a national obsession.· And that national obsession with the short term has come directly from business.· Has anything been gained by the national obsession with the Simpson affair?· Summarize that ugly reality in five terse sentences, then cut to the real national obsession: Sun Belt weather.
· The representation of sexuality here is of an unhealthy obsession.· Soon after the departure of Roszak from Peace News McGrath had quit that paper, nursing an unhealthy obsession with drugs.
VERB· Getting the airline up and flying - proving wrong everyone who had doubted him - became an obsession.· Whatever its source, the desire to go there had become an obsession with her.· This painting has become a veritable obsession and he has returned to it repeatedly over the past thirty years.· Demonstrating my attractiveness to a young intelligent woman in competition with young attractive males had become almost an obsession of mine.· David's need for a son had become an obsession.· One thing was certain: I must not allow the voyage to become an obsession and blind me to the risks involved.· But she's becoming something of an obsession with Ryan, particularly since his wife's death.· But I was already close enough to the aquatic world for it to become a lifelong obsession.
· I mean, excitement is one thing, but this is bordering on obsession. 1 go over to his place.
Gambling became an obsession, and he eventually lost everything.obsession with an unhealthy obsession with being thin The current obsession with exam results is actually harming children’s education. The game pachinko became a national obsession. He has an enthusiasm for art, to the point of obsession in my opinion. She looked after him with a devotion bordering on obsession.—obsessional adjectiveCOLLOCATIONSverbsbecome an obsession· For Rosie, losing weight had become an obsession.have an obsession· The poet seems to have an obsession with death.border on/upon obsession (=be almost as extreme as an obsession)· Sometimes his tidiness bordered on obsession.adjectivesa national obsession (=an obsession that the whole country has)· In Britain, the weather is a national obsession.an unhealthy obsession (=an obsession that is not normal)· Our society seems to have an unhealthy obsession with staying young.a dangerous obsession· Mark had a dangerous obsession with fast cars.a sexual obsession· Sexual obsessions can take many forms.the modern obsession with something· the modern obsession with celebrities' livesphrasesbe something of an obsession (=be almost as strong as an obsession)· The case became something of an obsession with him.to the point of obsession (=used to say that something has stopped being a normal interest and become an extreme one)· She was protective of her children, to the point of obsession.be in the grip of an obsession (=have extreme feelings of interest in something or someone)· At 15 I met Heather and instantly fell into the grip of an obsession.