SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
compulsive
adjective
Driven by an urge that is difficult to resist.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Driven by a hard-to-resist urge
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topRepetitive behavior is not automatically compulsive; the key idea is a strong urge that resists control.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See compulsive in use
The novel portrays a compulsive need to check every message immediately.
A fictional diary describes a compulsive urge to straighten every tool repeatedly, even when the writer wants to stop and continue making the bowl.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license