as in obsession
something about which one is constantly thinking or concerned
the future entomologist's preoccupation with insects from a very early age
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of preoccupation
Communism, which was viewed as the preoccupation of national liberation movements, was a threat.
—
Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2025
His camera’s graceful gyrations render all the more explicit the inextricable bond of dramas and their landscapes, embodying the film’s ideal of a physical and aesthetic connection with nature—its preoccupations with the spiritual dimensions of landscape and climate, color and texture.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2025
But there’s nothing conscious on my part about ongoing preoccupations or consistencies or running themes or any of that.
—Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2025
Schrader doubles down on his thematic and stylistic preoccupations — Bressonian visual gestures, Dostoyevskian spiritual journeys, and a pointed social conscience, to name a few — but The Card Counter never feels like a retread of past ideas.
—Vikram Murthi, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preoccupation
Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2025
His camera’s graceful gyrations render all the more explicit the inextricable bond of dramas and their landscapes, embodying the film’s ideal of a physical and aesthetic connection with nature—its preoccupations with the spiritual dimensions of landscape and climate, color and texture.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2025
But there’s nothing conscious on my part about ongoing preoccupations or consistencies or running themes or any of that.
—Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2025
Schrader doubles down on his thematic and stylistic preoccupations — Bressonian visual gestures, Dostoyevskian spiritual journeys, and a pointed social conscience, to name a few — but The Card Counter never feels like a retread of past ideas.
—Vikram Murthi, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preoccupation
Cite this Entry
“Preoccupation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preoccupation. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share