preoccupation

noun

pre·​oc·​cu·​pa·​tion (ˌ)prē-ˌä-kyə-ˈpā-shən 

1

: an act of preoccupying : the state of being preoccupied

2

a

: extreme or excessive concern with something

a preoccupation with money

b

: something that preoccupies one

We need to better understand the problems and preoccupations of our clients.

Synonyms of preoccupation

• obsession
• problem

Examples of preoccupation in a Sentence

We need to better understand the problems and preoccupations of our clients.

the future entomologist's preoccupation with insects from a very early age

Recent Examples on the Web

Singh has consistently returned to Punjab and its history across his filmography, a preoccupation rooted in his own family’s experience of Partition. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 15 May 2026

Pick your new preoccupation this weekend. —Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 15 May 2026

Jobs are a central preoccupation of hers. —Literary Hub, 15 May 2026

That game illuminates the tension between self and community that has fueled the show’s longevity, and reflects the preoccupations of a country that has always been torn between the two. —Julie Beck, The Atlantic, 12 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1572, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing preoccupation

• self-preoccupation

Rhymes for preoccupation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation