as in obsession
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 preoccupation
Although Ed may have been intrigued by Jorgensen’s life, this, along with Richard Speck’s role in the series, seems more of a fetishization and misplaced preoccupation in a narrative having nothing to do with transgender people.
—
Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 3 Oct. 2025
Loeb has long had a preoccupation with extraterrestrials – even co-founding the Galileo Project, a research program at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics dedicated to the search for alien life.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 2 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
The show’s preoccupation with Lee’s race isn’t incidental.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preoccupation
Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 3 Oct. 2025
Loeb has long had a preoccupation with extraterrestrials – even co-founding the Galileo Project, a research program at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics dedicated to the search for alien life.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 2 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
The show’s preoccupation with Lee’s race isn’t incidental.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preoccupation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preoccupation
obsession
Noun
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This separation keeps parents' Discover Weekly and Wrapped playlists clean from unexpected surprises like a sudden obsession with gaming soundtracks or silly meme songs.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
24 Oct. 2025
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Move over, Aligns — there’s a new soft obsession in town.—
Katie Ann Lehman,
StyleCaster,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Preoccupation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preoccupation. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.
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