possessive

possessive — adjective

1. not willing to let other people use or share things that you feel are yours.

1.adjective
Definition

not willing to let other people use or share things that you feel are yours.

Example

Leo is possessive about his camera and never lends it to classmates.

possessive about + thing owned

Even at home, Mia stayed possessive of the blue blanket.

possessive of + object

Common collocations
  • possessive about his things
  • highly possessive of her books
  • become possessive about a new car
  • sound possessive about toys
Synonyms
  • selfish

    broader and can include more than sharing possessions

  • territorial

    often used for space or anything treated as one's own area

  • protective

    can overlap, but often suggests care or safety rather than ownership

Antonyms
  • generous

    happy to give or share with others

  • easygoing

    not worried about other people using your things

Grammar Patterns

be possessive about + thing

be possessive of + thing

Usage Note

Usually followed by 'about' or 'of' plus the owned thing. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense is about not sharing things, not about trying to control another person.

Common Mistakes

Lena is possessive with her laptop.
Lena is possessive about her laptop.
This sense usually takes 'about' or 'of' before the thing.

2. wanting one person's love, time, or attention only for yourself, and trying not

2.adjectiveC2
Definition

wanting one person's love, time, or attention only for yourself, and trying not to let others share it.

Example

Jin grew possessive of his best friend after the new student arrived.

possessive of + person

Rex became possessive whenever Emma talked to male coworkers at lunch.

Common collocations
  • possessive boyfriend
  • possessive parent
  • possessive friend
  • be possessive of a partner
Synonyms
  • jealous

    focuses more on fear of rivals than on control

  • controlling

    broader and can describe many kinds of dominating behavior

  • clingy

    informal and suggests emotional dependence more than domination

  • domineering

    stronger and more forceful in controlling others

Antonyms
  • trusting

    not anxious about sharing affection or attention

  • secure

    emotionally calm and not needing control

Grammar Patterns

be possessive of + person

possessive boyfriend/parent/friend

Usage Note

Usually describes unhealthy behavior in close relationships, often with a person named after 'of' or understood from context. Distinguish from sense 1: the focus here is another person's attention or freedom, not an owned object.

Common Mistakes

He is possessive to his girlfriend.
He is possessive of his girlfriend.
This sense normally uses 'of' before the person.

3. describing a grammar form used to mark ownership or another belonging relationsh

3.adjectiveB1
Definition

describing a grammar form used to mark ownership or another belonging relationship.

Example

During class, Ms. Wu wrote "my bag" and called "my" a possessive adjective.

grammar label: possessive adjective

The teacher underlined the possessive form in "Sara's coat".

possessive form in a noun phrase

Common collocations
  • possessive adjective
  • possessive pronoun
  • possessive determiner
  • possessive form
Synonyms
  • genitive

    technical grammar term, especially in traditional grammar

  • genitival

    more specialized linguistic adjective

Grammar Patterns

possessive adjective

possessive form

possessive pronoun

Usage Note

This sense only describes the type of grammar form, as in 'possessive adjective' or 'possessive form'. Distinguish from noun sense 1, which names the actual word or phrase, and noun sense 2, which names the case itself.

Common Mistakes

Its' is a possessive apostrophe form.
Its' is a possessive form without an apostrophe.
The possessive adjective 'its' does not use an apostrophe.

possessive — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

These words overlap, but they are not the same. 'Possessive' suggests that someone treats a thing as strongly theirs and dislikes other people touching, using, or sharing it. 'Selfish' is broader: a selfish person may refuse to share time, help, food, or chances, not only possessions. 'Territorial' often focuses on space or an area someone feels belongs to them, such as a desk, room, or seat. 'Protective' can look similar, but it usually comes from care or fear of damage, not from wanting exclusive control. Compare: 'Leo is possessive about his camera,' 'The child was selfish with the cake,' 'The dog became territorial near its bed,' and 'Mina felt protective of her grandmother's ring.'

possessive ↗selfish ↗territorialprotective ↗

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

This word came into English through French from Latin. Its older Latin family is linked to the idea of having or holding something as your own. English first used it for grammar and ownership, and later developed the personal sense of not wanting to share things or another person's attention.