preoccupation

noun

pre·​oc·​cu·​pa·​tion (ˌ)prē-ˌä-kyə-ˈpā-shən How to pronounce preoccupation (audio)
1
: an act of preoccupying : the state of being preoccupied
2
a
: extreme or excessive concern with something
b
: something that preoccupies one

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
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.
Constantine’s primary focus, if not fanatical preoccupation, from 1890 on was poetry. Gregory Jusdanis, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025 The exhibition opens with Giacometti’s early sculptural experiments from the 1920s—cool, abstract works in marble and plaster that already hint at his preoccupation with volume and absence. Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025 But the biggest constraint is India’s preoccupation with promoting multipolarity through multialignment, which presumes that India will become a meaningful peer of China, the United States, and Europe sometime soon and, consequently, will be able to balance China on its own. Ashley J. Tellis, Foreign Affairs, 17 June 2025 Our preoccupation with food is much more primal than the pull of a Sephora sale. Maggie Anders, Oc Register, 29 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for preoccupation

Word History

First Known Use

1572, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of preoccupation was in 1572

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Cite this Entry

“Preoccupation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preoccupation. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

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