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   Com·pul·sive

   /kəmˈpəlsiv/

   

   adjective

   • 1. resulting from or relating to an irresistible urge, especially one that is against one's conscious wishes: "compulsive eating" Similar irresistibleuncontrollablecompellingdrivingoverwhelmingoverpoweringurgentbesettingobsessiveneuroticobsessiveobsessionaladdictiveuncontrollableout of controlungovernable
   • ▪ (of a person) acting as a result of an irresistible urge: "a compulsive liar" Similar inveteratechronicincorrigibleincurableirredeemablehardenedhopelesspersistentobsessiveobsessionaladdictedhabitualdependentinformal:pathologicalhookedOpposite occasional
   • 2. irresistibly interesting or exciting; compelling: "this play is compulsive viewing" Similar fascinatingcompellinggrippingrivetingengrossingtotally absorbingenthrallingcaptivatingspellbindingmesmerizingmesmericentrancinginformal:unputdownableOpposite dulltedious

   Word Origin late 16th century (in the sense ‘compulsory’): from medieval Latin compulsivus, from compuls- ‘driven, forced’, from the verb compellere (see compel). compulsive (sense 1) (originally a term in psychology) dates from the early 20th century.

   Derivatives

   • 1. compulsiveness noun

   Scrabble Points: 19

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