obsession
n.-
1 unhealthy preoccupation (n.) B2 Upper Intermediatea state where you think about something or someone all the time and cannot stop.
a persistent and disturbing preoccupation with an often unreasonable idea or feeling. Often used uncountably to describe the psychological state.
ExampleHis obsession with fitness means he spends four hours at the gym every single day.
ExampleThe public's obsession with the celebrity's private life has led to a complete breakdown of her personal boundaries and mental health.
UsageCommonly follows the pattern 'obsession with [something]'.
- indifference
- disinterest
PitfallHe has an obsession for classic cars.He has an obsession with classic cars.The noun 'obsession' almost always takes the preposition 'with' when identifying the object of interest.
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2 the object of interest (n.) B2 Upper Intermediatethe specific thing or person that you are obsessed with.
a specific activity, person, or entity that inspires a compulsive fixation. Countable in this sense.
ExampleCollecting rare stamps became a lifelong obsession for him.
ExampleWhat started as a casual interest in local history eventually transformed into a consuming obsession that dictated his travel plans for a decade.
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3 spiritual influence (n.) C2 Proficiency Formal Technical Religionthe belief that an evil spirit is controlling or influencing someone's mind.
the state of being influenced or beset by an evil spirit, distinguished from 'possession' where the spirit inhabits the body.
ExampleThe old texts described a case of obsession where the victim heard voices from the shadows.
ExampleTheological scholars distinguish between possession, where the entity resides within, and obsession, where the external influence torments the individual's psyche.
From Latin obsessio (“a besieging”), from obsidere (“to besiege”); see obsess. Equivalent to obsess + -ion.