PREOCCUPATION Synonyms: 53 Similar and Opposite Words

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

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Example Sentences

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Recent Examples of preoccupation Many observers were taken aback by his haughty tone, hypermasculine preoccupation with domination, giddiness about violence and casual attitude toward death. —

Casey Ryan Kelly, The Conversation, 9 Mar. 2026 Stocks tumbled in February after the latest producer price index showed unexpectedly hot wholesale prices, adding sticky inflation to the list of investors’ recent preoccupations. —

Sarah Min, CNBC, 6 Mar. 2026 This triggers a slippery slope toward apostasy — that is, de-prioritizing mindedness toward church vetted preoccupations. —

Cory Anderson, STAT, 6 Mar. 2026 Ordinary Iranians objected to the country’s intrusive authoritarian system, an economy crippled by devastating international sanctions intended to coerce the regime to curb its nuclear program, and the mullahs’ preoccupation with international affairs. —

Richard Hall, Time, 28 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for preoccupation

Recent Examples of Synonyms for preoccupation

Noun

This is a novel about Jewish bodies and how people respond to them, the toll of obsession, and the conflicting currents of desire and unease that shake and startle a deep romantic fixation.

— Daniel Felsenthal, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026
But Mormonism is a high-demand, patriarchal religion, and the church’s obsession with Godly worthiness has only made the fixation on beauty flourish.

— Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 26 Mar. 2026