monomania
/'mɔnou'meinjə/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- An excessive or obsessive enthusiasm for or preoccupation with one single thing or idea: A psychological state characterized by an intense, irrational, and persistent focus on a particular subject, often to the exclusion of other interests or considerations.
Usage
- As a noun: "Monomania" describes a pathological fixation. It is typically used in psychological, literary, or critical contexts to describe an extreme and singular obsession.
- His monomania for collecting rare stamps consumed all his time and money.
- The character's monomania for revenge drives the entire plot of the novel.
Advanced Usage
- In a clinical/historical context: While the term originates from older psychiatric classifications, it is now more commonly used descriptively rather than as a formal modern diagnosis.
- The 19th-century psychiatrist described the patient's condition as a classic case of monomania.
- In literary/critical analysis: Used to critique a singular, all-consuming focus in a person, movement, or ideology.
- The critic argued that the company's monomania for quarterly profits blinded it to long-term ethical concerns.
Variants and Related Words
- Monomaniac (noun): A person who has a monomania.
- He was labeled a monomaniac for his single-minded pursuit of the theory.
- Monomaniacal (adjective): Characteristic of or affected by monomania.
- She pursued her goal with monomaniacal intensity.
Synonyms
- Obsession: A state of being preoccupied with a single thought or feeling.
- Fixation: An obsessive interest or focus.
- Idée fixe: (French) A fixed idea; an obsession.
Antonyms
- Apathy: Lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern.
- Indifference: Lack of interest or concern.
Related Idioms/Phrases
- To have a bee in one's bonnet: To be obsessed with a particular idea. (This is a more informal, idiomatic equivalent).
- He's got a bee in his bonnet about reorganizing the filing system.
Noun
- a mania restricted to one thing or idea