compulsive

• POS: Adjective, Noun
• HYPHEN: com=pul=sive

CIDE DICTIONARY

compulsive, a. 

 Having power to compel; exercising or applying compulsion.  [1913 Webster]
"Religion is . . . inconsistent with all compulsive motives."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

compulsive, adj.
1 compelling.
2 resulting or acting from, or as if from, compulsion (a compulsive gambler).
3 Psychol. resulting or acting from compulsion against one's conscious wishes.
4 irresistible (compulsive entertainment).

Derivative

compulsively adv. compulsiveness n.

Etymology

med.L compulsivus (as compel)

THESAURUS

compulsive

accordant, anal, automatic, blind, bourgeois, coactive, coercive, compelling, compulsatory, compulsory, concordant, conditioned, conformist, constrained, constraining, conventional, corresponding, driving, forced, forceful, formalistic, gripping, harmonious, holding, impelling, imperative, imperious, impulsive, in accord, in keeping, in line, in step, instinctive, involuntary, irresistible, kosher, mechanical, obsessing, obsessional, obsessive, orthodox, overwhelming, pedantic, plastic, possessing, precisianistic, preoccupying, pressing, reflex, reflexive, restraining, square, straight, stuffy, traditionalist, unconscious, unintentional, unthinking, unwilled, unwilling, unwitting, uptight, urgent