possessive

Meanings

1. 1adjectivecomparabledisapproving

   Wanting someone’s time, attention, or loyalty too intensely and resenting other relationships or interests.

   Grammar: Usually describes a person or attitude; often followed by about or of: possessive about his friends.

   Patterns

   • be possessive about someone
   • get possessive over something
   • too possessive of someone

   She became possessive whenever he made plans without her.

   A good manager is supportive without being possessive of every good idea.

2. 2adjectivecomparabledisapproving

   Unwilling to share belongings, space, food, or control, even when sharing is reasonable.

   Grammar: Can come before a noun or after a linking verb: a possessive grip, or he is possessive with snacks.

   Patterns

   • possessive about possessions
   • possessive over food
   • possessive with belongings

   My brother gets possessive over the last slice of pizza.

   The toddler sounded possessive about a toy he had already outgrown.

3. 3nouncountable or uncountabletechnical

   In grammar, the case or form that shows ownership or belonging, as in Maria’s coat or the dogs’ bowls.

   Grammar: Usually with the for the concept; a possessive means one possessive word or form.

   Patterns

   • form the possessive
   • in the possessive
   • the possessive of a noun

   Add ’s to form the possessive of most singular nouns.

   Children’s is the irregular plural possessive in children’s coats.

Common combinations

possessive pronoun

Hers is a possessive pronoun that stands alone.

possessive about

He is possessive about his writing process.

get possessive

Do not get possessive over the office projector.

overly possessive

Her overly possessive messages worried her friends.

Synonyms and how they differ

controlling

Controlling fits trying to direct another person’s choices; possessive emphasizes claiming loyalty or ownership.

jealous

Jealous stresses fear of losing affection to a rival; possessive stresses holding on and not sharing.

domineering

Domineering is stronger and means bossy command over others, not merely reluctance to share.

Opposites

Word family

possess verb

To have or own something; also to control a feeling or quality.

possession noun

The state of owning something, or a thing that is owned.

possessor noun

A person who owns or holds something.

possessively adverb

In a way that shows a desire to keep or control someone or something.

Commonly confused: possessive or possessed?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “possessive”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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