preoccupation

noun

pre·​oc·​cu·​pa·​tion (ˌ)prē-ˌä-kyə-ˈpā-shən How to pronounce preoccupation (audio)
1
: an act of preoccupying : the state of being preoccupied
2
a
: extreme or excessive concern with something
b
: something that preoccupies one

Examples of preoccupation in a Sentence

We need to better understand the problems and preoccupations of our clients. the future entomologist's preoccupation with insects from a very early age
Recent Examples on the Web
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These videos present an unattainable life American society has been obsessed with fitness and beauty for decades, but for much of that time, such preoccupations were considered unmasculine, writes historian Natalia Mehlman Petrzela. Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 29 Mar. 2025 But Francis is no longer Bergoglio, and Hope makes clear that his preoccupations are now global, as is his congregation. Federico Perelmuter, The Dial, 13 Mar. 2025 Communism, which was viewed as the preoccupation of national liberation movements, was a threat. Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2025 His camera’s graceful gyrations render all the more explicit the inextricable bond of dramas and their landscapes, embodying the film’s ideal of a physical and aesthetic connection with nature—its preoccupations with the spiritual dimensions of landscape and climate, color and texture. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for preoccupation

Word History

First Known Use

1572, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of preoccupation was in 1572

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Cite this Entry

“Preoccupation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preoccupation. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.

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