compulsive

AI In plain words

Writing a short explanation…

Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.

compulsive

/kəmˈpʌlsɪv/

Where it comes from

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

adjective more compulsive · most compulsive

Uncontrolled or reactive and irresistible. Jenny is a compulsive liar—don't believe a thing she says.
Having power to compel; exercising or applying compulsion. Religion is […] inconsistent with all compulsive Motives.

noun compulsives

One who exhibits compulsive behaviours.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: driven, ambitious, determined, neurotic, psychoneurotic, obsessive, compelling, heavy, forced, compulsory, knock, pathological, irresistible, habitual, addictive, uncontrollable

Translations

Every language

adj uncontrolled or reactive and unconscious

Español	compulsivo
Deutsch	zwanghaft
Română	coercitiv, constrângător
Русский	неконтроли́руемый nekontrolírujemyj, навязчивый navjazčivyj

Talk about this word

Cite this

MLA

"compulsive." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/compulsive. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

compulsive. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/compulsive

Chicago

"compulsive." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/compulsive.

BibTeX

@misc{compulsive_2026,
  title = {compulsive},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/compulsive},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}