compulsive
kuhm-PUL-siv
/kəmˈpʌl.sɪv/
Resulting from or acting upon an irresistible, irrational urge; impossible to resist or stop.
Implies an internal psychological drive performed to relieve distress rather than for pleasure.
The story behind the word. Compulsive comes from Latin 'compellere', meaning to drive together or force. The root 'pellere' gives us words like pulse, propel, and repel. In 19th-century psychiatry, compulsive was adopted to describe behaviors where patients felt physically driven by internal pressure.
Word relationships
- obsessive: Obsessive refers to recurring mental thoughts; compulsive refers to the repetitive actions triggered by those thoughts.
- irresistible: Irresistible describes the strength of the urge; compulsive describes the habit driven by it.
- voluntary: Voluntary actions are done purely by deliberate conscious choice.
- controlled: Controlled implies restraint and conscious mastery.
Commonly confused with
- impulsive: Impulsive is acting on a sudden whim without thinking; compulsive is repeating a ritual to relieve inner anxiety.
- compulsory: Compulsory means legally mandatory or required by rules (e.g. compulsory education); compulsive means internally driven.
Word family
- compulsion (noun): An irresistible urge to behave in a certain way.
- compulsively (adverb): In a compulsive or irresistible manner.
Collocations
- compulsive behavior
- compulsive lying
- compulsive eating
- compulsive disorder
Idioms & expressions
- driven by an urge
Example sentences
- "Her compulsive handwashing was a symptom of anxiety rather than a desire for cleanliness." Clinical Psychology
- "Compulsive gambling often develops when variable rewards keep the brain continuously anticipating a win." Behavioral Studies
Memory hook
PULSE = compulsive actions feel like an inner pulse pushing you. Pushed by an inner pulse.
When not to use
Do not confuse with impulsive (acting quickly without thinking); compulsive involves repetitive behaviors done under inner pressure.
Fun facts
- In OCD, compulsions are rituals performed specifically to neutralize the distress caused by obsessive thoughts.
Related words
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