monomaniac

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   Someone who is obsessed with one single idea, aim, or subject and thinks about little else.

   Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a monomaniac' or 'monomaniacs' for more than one.

   Patterns

   • a monomaniac about something
   • a monomaniac on a subject

   My uncle is a monomaniac about golf; he talks about nothing else.

   She became a monomaniac on the subject of healthy eating and drove her friends mad.

   The director was a monomaniac who sacrificed everything for his film.

2. 2adjectivebefore a nounformal

   Extremely and narrowly focused on one idea or activity, to an unhealthy degree.

   Grammar: Used before a noun: 'a monomaniac obsession'. It is less common than the noun.

   Patterns

   • monomaniac energy
   • monomaniac focus

   His monomaniac drive to win made him difficult to work with.

   The novel's hero has a monomaniac need to find the lost city.

Word forms

Common combinations

a complete monomaniac

When it comes to his collection, he's a complete monomaniac.

a monomaniac about something

She's a monomaniac about recycling and checks every bin.

monomaniac obsession

His monomaniac obsession with detail slowed the whole project.

Synonyms and how they differ

fanatic

Fanatic suggests strong enthusiasm, often for a cause; monomaniac stresses an unhealthy focus on just one thing.

obsessive

Obsessive is a more general adjective or noun for anyone who can't stop thinking about something; monomaniac is more specific and slightly formal.

Word family

monomania noun

An obsession with a single subject or idea.

monomaniacal adjective

Showing an obsessive focus on one thing.

Commonly confused: monomaniac or maniac?

Practice

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