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

Washington’s preoccupation with its own domestic politics, inattention to the region’s nuances, and inflated fears of Chinese and Russian advances all made the United States an easy mark for manipulative local powers. — Marc Lynch, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026

In the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, Vaz felt a resonance with the preoccupations with land, people and colonialism that have defined her filmography to this point. — Dylan Adamson, Variety, 14 Aug. 2026

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