compulsive.

1. Driven by an urge that is difficult to resist or control.

2. So compelling that a reader or viewer finds it difficult to stop.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• compulsive checking
• a compulsive habit

On the page

His compulsive checking survived every reassurance.

She recognized the compulsive habit without claiming to know its cause.

Usage notes

Primary category: horror. Forms: Comparative more compulsive; superlative most compulsive where gradation is meaningful. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings.