possessiveness

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“I had written a book on writing once …” How did professional jealousy, competitiveness, possessiveness, or, on the brighter side, tenderness, collaborative spirit and generosity play out as you wrote a writing book together?

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026

Quickly, Karsh’s love turns to possessiveness, and everyone around him becomes a suspect.

From Salon • Apr. 19, 2025

“I don’t know if it’s the topic, but there hasn’t been a possessiveness about subject matter that I’ve found in other subjects, and I do think that’s pretty incredible.”

From Washington Post • Jan. 5, 2023

Viewers accused Ms. Bond of selling out and expressed a startling degree of possessiveness over her life.

From New York Times • Jul. 29, 2022

She had some of her Aunt Evy’s talent for mimicking, some of Ruthie Nolan’s possessiveness.

From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith