Spanish Conversation · Level 62
76 words
Spanish word
compulsivo
Pronunciation
IPA/kompulˈsiβo/
Meaning
- adjectivecompulsive
Example
Mi hermana es compulsiva con sus compras.
My sister is compulsive about her shopping.
More examples
Sintió un impulso compulsivo de revisar su correo.
He felt a compulsive urge to check his email.
Core concept
A tendency to act under persistent internal urges rather than by deliberate choice.
Common phrases
impulso compulsivo
compulsive urge
gasto compulsivo
compulsive shopping
Similar words
obsesivo: Fixated on a recurring thought or action that intrudes and repeats in the mind.
impulsivo: Prone to sudden, unplanned actions triggered by a fleeting impulse.
irrefrenable: Overwhelmed by a powerful, hard-to-control desire that continues intensely.
Definition in Spanish
Que indica una tendencia a actuar por impulsos persistentes que resultan difíciles de frenar.
Word origin
From Latin compulsivus built on compulsus, the past participle of compellere 'to drive', carrying the idea of being internally compelled to act.
Usage tips
- Can sound like a harsh personal judgment in casual speech, so speakers often add a qualifier such as 'tiene tendencia a' or 'parece' to soften the claim.
Opposites
- deliberadodeliberateadjective
- voluntariovoluntaryadjective
Related words
- compulsividadcompulsivenessnoun
- compulsióncompulsionnoun