compulsive
adj.adj. describing a behavior that is very difficult to stop or control. You use this when someone feels they must do something, even if they do not want to.
adj. driven by an irresistible, irrational urge to perform a specific act. Often used to describe repetitive behaviors or psychological conditions where the subject feels unable to exercise self-control.
He is a compulsive gambler who cannot stop.
Her compulsive cleaning meant that the house was always spotless, even when she was exhausted.
The novel explores the protagonist's compulsive need for validation, illustrating how this internal pressure eventually alienates his closest friends and colleagues.
Borrowed from French compulsif, formed from Latin compulsus, past participle of compellere (“to compel”), from com- (“together”) + pellere (“to drive”).
Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'become' or 'be', and attributively before nouns like 'liar', 'gambler', or 'shopper'.
He has a compulsive to wash his hands.He has a compulsion to wash his hands.Learners often use the adjective 'compulsive' when they need the noun 'compulsion' to describe the urge itself.