verb
obsess
uhb-SEHS
verb
1
To think about someone or something constantly, to the point where it takes over your mind.
"He started to obsess over every tiny detail of the presentation."
"Try not to obsess about what other people think of you."
How to Use Obsess
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo be unable to stop thinking about something.
Common mistake
"Obsess" is usually followed by "over" or "about", not "with" — save "obsessed with" for the adjective form.
Common pairings
obsess over something
obsess about a problem
Word Forms
obsessed past tense, obsesses singular
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He started to _____ over every tiny detail of the presentation.
Etymology
From Latin obsessus, "besieged" — from ob- ("towards, against") plus sedere ("to sit"); the same root shows up in "session" and "possess".