compulsive
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.describes a strong urge that you cannot stop or control, even if you want to.
adj.resulting from or relating to an irresistible urge, especially one that is against one's conscious wishes.
Simple“He has a compulsive habit of checking his phone every two minutes.”
In context“The patient exhibited compulsive hand-washing rituals that significantly interfered with his ability to maintain a regular work schedule.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.describes a person who does something so often that they cannot stop.
adj.acting as a result of an irresistible urge; frequently applied to habitual behaviors like lying or gambling.
Simple“She is a compulsive liar who makes up stories for no reason.”
In context“The documentary explores the psychology of compulsive gamblers who continue to bet even after losing their life savings.”
Antonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
n.a person who has a very strong need to do something repeatedly.
n.a person who exhibits compulsive behaviors or suffers from an obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Simple“As a compulsive, he found it difficult to relax when things were messy.”
In context“The study compared the neurological responses of compulsives to those of a control group when presented with specific environmental triggers.”
Synonyms
Borrowed from French compulsif, formed from Latin compulsus, past participle of compellere (“to compel”), from com- (“together”) + pellere (“to drive”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.