From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary EnglishRelated topics: Psychology, psychiatrycompulsivecom‧pul‧sive /kəmˈpʌlsɪv/ adjective1MPCONTROLcompulsive behaviour is very difficult to stop or control, and is often a result of or a sign of a mental problem → obsessivecompulsive gambling/overeating/spending etcCompulsive overspending in these days of credit cards has become more common.2 →compulsive overeater/gambler/spender/liar etc3INTERESTINGa book, programme etc that is compulsive is so interesting that you cannot stop reading or watching itcompulsive reading/viewing‘Gardening World’ is compulsive viewing for gardeners. —compulsively adverb —compulsiveness noun [uncountable]Examples from the Corpuscompulsive• You tend to be compulsive about your job and wind up defeating yourself.• Compulsive behaviour is often a symptom of deeperpsychological problems.• A tradition that was based only on communication could not lead to the compulsivecharacter that attaches to religiousphenomena.• The perfectionist, as we saw, tries to do things perfectly because of his or her compulsivedesire to avoid showing anger.• OvercomingOvereating may be a powerful way for some women to break a long habit of compulsiveeating.• compulsive hand-washing• He's a compulsiveliar -- you can't believe a word he says.• Her problem is compulsive over-eating.• The eating disordersincludecompulsive overeating and severeanorexia, both being found in some patients.• But the book makes for compulsive reading.• Compulsiveshoppers often never even open the goods they buy.• Presently the man-apes began to move forward, like sleepwalkers, toward the source of that compulsivesound.• Compulsivespending is often a symptom of deep unhappiness.compulsive gambling/overeating/spending etc• The eating disorders, anorexia, bulimia and compulsive overeating.• The eating disorders include compulsive overeating and severe anorexia, both being found in some patients.• The physicalconsequences of compulsive overeating, anorexia and bulimia can be severe and even fatal.• The consequences of compulsive gambling are comparable to those of any other addictivedisease and are not simply those of financialloss.• The appropriateAnonymousFellowships for anorexia, bulimia and compulsive overeatingexist to help the primaryspiritualrecovery.• The distress caused by compulsive gambling is very considerable.• Are bulimia and compulsive overeating the opposite of anorexia?compulsive reading/viewing• But the book makes for compulsive reading.• The confessions, recriminations and bubblingbile of this long night's drinking into dawn make for increasingly compulsive viewing.• The dialogue itself makes compulsive reading and there are many musicalquotations and ideas to pursue.• Such a romanticscenario, such an agonising scene to witness and yet it was compulsive viewing for Ruth.• It took Ron and myself two days to view it, and compulsive viewing most of it was.• In particular he remembers the very smart set of poetryclassics, and noted his friend's compulsive reading of them.