compulsive

C3O1M3P3U1L1S1I1V4E1
/kəmˈpʌlsɪv/

adjective

Uncontrolled or reactive and irresistible.

“Jenny is a compulsive liar—don't believe a thing she says.”

Similar
neuroticpsychoneuroticdetermineddrivenambitious
OriginFrench compulsif ← Latin compulsus →
Less commonScrabble 19
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Meanings

adjectivecompulsive (comparative more compulsive, superlative most compulsive)

comparative more compulsive · superlative most compulsive

  1. Uncontrolled or reactive and irresistible.

    Jenny is a compulsive liar—don't believe a thing she says.

    2 more examples

    Under this Act, the term "disability" shall not include—...(2) compulsive gambling, kleptomania, or pyromania; or[…]

    1990, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

    Call it impulsive, call it compulsive, call it insane / But when I'm surrounded I just can't stop

    1992, “Brian Wilson”, performed by Barenaked Ladies
  2. Having power to compel; exercising or applying compulsion.

    Religion is […] inconsistent with all compulsive Motives.

    a. 1729, Samuel Clarke, The Doctrines of Religion reasonable to be believed
nouncompulsive (plural compulsives)

plural compulsives

  1. One who exhibits compulsive behaviours.

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivecaused by or suggestive of psychological compulsion

Similar
neuroticpsychoneurotic

adjectivestrongly motivated to succeed

Similar
determineddrivenambitious
Also see
ambitiousdetermineddrivenneuroticpsychoneurotic

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latincompulsus
  2. Frenchcompulsif
  3. Englishcompulsive

Borrowed from French compulsif, formed from Latin compulsus, past participle of compellere (“to compel”), from com- (“together”) + pellere (“to drive”).

More words from French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian принудителен, задължителен
  • принудителен (prinuditelen)uncontrolled or reactive and unconscious
  • задължителенuncontrolled or reactive and unconscious
Catalan compulsiu
  • compulsiuuncontrolled or reactive and unconscious
Czech nutkavý
  • nutkavýuncontrolled or reactive and unconscious
Dutch dwangmatig
  • dwangmatiguncontrolled or reactive and unconscious
Finnish pakonomainen, pakottava
  • pakonomainenuncontrolled or reactive and unconscious
  • pakottavauncontrolled or reactive and unconscious
German zwanghaft
  • zwanghaftuncontrolled or reactive and unconscious
Hungarian kényszeres
  • kényszeresuncontrolled or reactive and unconscious
Polish kompulsywny, przymusowy
  • kompulsywnyuncontrolled or reactive and unconscious
  • przymusowyuncontrolled or reactive and unconscious
Romanian coercitiv, constrângător
  • coercitivuncontrolled or reactive and unconscious
  • constrângătoruncontrolled or reactive and unconscious
Russian неконтроли́руемый, навязчивый
  • неконтроли́руемый (nekontrolírujemyj)uncontrolled or reactive and unconscious
  • навязчивый (navjazčivyj)uncontrolled or reactive and unconscious
Spanish compulsivo
  • compulsivouncontrolled or reactive and unconscious
Swedish tvångsmässig
  • tvångsmässiguncontrolled or reactive and unconscious
Cite this entry
APA

compulsive. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/compulsive

MLA

“compulsive.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/compulsive. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “compulsive,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/compulsive.

Source: compulsive on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.