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
Restricting them can increase irritability, low mood, food preoccupation, and risk of binge eating.
—
Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 16 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for preoccupation
Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 16 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for preoccupation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preoccupation
Noun
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In late November, the annual Anegada Lobster Festival takes the island's year-round lobster love and turns it into an obsession, with local restaurants featuring special dishes and plenty of events making the spiny Anegada lobster the star of the show.—
Carley Rojas Avila,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Apr. 2026
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Plus, though last year’s obsession with polka dots hasn’t completely died down, eye-catching horizontal stripes are threatening to dethrone spots as the pattern du jour.—
Jordan Julian,
InStyle,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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According to ZamZows, most Idahoans have a mix of sandy and clay soil, which can both cause problems in the garden.—
McClatchy,
Idaho Statesman,
5 Apr. 2026
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But even the significant pressure of hundreds, then thousands, of criminal defendants being released or their cases dropped did little to move the needle on a permanent solution to the problem.—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Preoccupation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preoccupation. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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