as in obsessions
something about which one is constantly thinking or concerned
the future entomologist's preoccupation with insects from a very early age
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Recent Examples of preoccupations
But these names, which signal both over-the-top satire and dramatization of extreme politics, are some of the small nods and Easter Eggs that Anderson includes in his script for One Battle After Another, which distill the preoccupations of novelist Thomas Pynchon.
—
Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2025
In a cheeky aside directed at Sony Pictures Classics co-head Micheal Barker who was at the dinner, Quinn recalled how one of his preoccupations at Samuel Goldwyn had been figuring out what titles their rivals were getting access to.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2025
New York Film Festival offer a glimpse into the preoccupations guiding our foremost auteurs.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 23 Sep. 2025
Trier’s preoccupations with a healthy set are also a testament to his directing philosophy.
—Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 23 Sep. 2025
And one of Kirk’s preoccupations this year, in public and in private, was holding together the Republican Party on the question of Israel.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Perhaps this is particularly noticeable because the thematic preoccupations of the film are so trite.
—Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
Are the themes in this movie in any way a reflection of your own preoccupations?
—Zak Cheney-Rice, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2025
Justice notes these preoccupations often impact our wellness in subtle and overlooked ways that can add up to significant harm like sleep disturbance, irritability, uncontrolled worry, ruminating about the ‘what ifs,’ exhaustion, burnout, and over-functioning.
—Essence, 27 Aug. 2025
Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2025
In a cheeky aside directed at Sony Pictures Classics co-head Micheal Barker who was at the dinner, Quinn recalled how one of his preoccupations at Samuel Goldwyn had been figuring out what titles their rivals were getting access to.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2025
New York Film Festival offer a glimpse into the preoccupations guiding our foremost auteurs.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 23 Sep. 2025
Trier’s preoccupations with a healthy set are also a testament to his directing philosophy.
—Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 23 Sep. 2025
And one of Kirk’s preoccupations this year, in public and in private, was holding together the Republican Party on the question of Israel.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Perhaps this is particularly noticeable because the thematic preoccupations of the film are so trite.
—Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
Are the themes in this movie in any way a reflection of your own preoccupations?
—Zak Cheney-Rice, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2025
Justice notes these preoccupations often impact our wellness in subtle and overlooked ways that can add up to significant harm like sleep disturbance, irritability, uncontrolled worry, ruminating about the ‘what ifs,’ exhaustion, burnout, and over-functioning.
—Essence, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preoccupations
obsessions
Noun
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Look to the other jewelry obsessions prevailing during the fall 2025 season.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
13 Oct. 2025
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What affected me most in Lahiri’s story was the sense of time passing, the way our obsessions seem meaningless in the aftermath of tragic events (or, rather, from the larger vantage point of a life).—
Cressida Leyshon,
New Yorker,
12 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Preoccupations.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preoccupations. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
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