Synonyms of preoccupation

preoccupation

noun

(ˌ)prē-ˌä-kyə-ˈpā-shən 

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

• obsession
• problem
• fascination
• fixation
• enthusiasm
• fetish
• mania
• prepossession
• idée fixe
• thirst
• monomania
• longing
• desire
• compulsion
• infatuation
• craving
• trip
• tendency
• hunger
• appetite
• yearning
• complex
• predilection
• urge
• idiosyncrasy
• proclivity
• quirk
• penchant
• lust
• passion
• predisposition
• hang-up
• propensity
• inclination
• yen
• itch
• pining
• bent
• hankering
• partiality
• drive
• disposition
• cacoëthes
• leaning

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• indifference
• disregard
• apathy
• nonchalance
• unconcern
• insouciance
• disinterestedness
• unconcernedness

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of preoccupation

And anyone who has read even a little of Cusk’s previous work will recognize that these concerns map suspiciously closely to Cusk’s own preoccupations with artificiality. — Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2026

For centuries, getting lost was a major preoccupation—something that could prove life-changing, even life-ending. — Shayla Love, New Yorker, 6 Aug. 2026

Sleep specialists call it orthosomnia, a preoccupation with hitting perfect sleep numbers that ends up sabotaging the sleep itself. — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 3 Aug. 2026

Researchers coined the term orthosomnia in a 2017 paper in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine to describe a preoccupation with achieving perfect sleep data that paradoxically makes sleep worse. — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 July 2026