absorbing preoccupation

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "absorbing preoccupation" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a thought or interest that captures someone's full attention and focus. Example: "Her absorbing preoccupation with the project led her to work late into the night, often forgetting to eat."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The first is a collection of essays about the individual composers who were the absorbing preoccupation of Brendel's playing years – Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Liszt (with some additional thoughts on Busoni).

The Guardian - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Ambitious undertakings like scale model-train recreations or building the Taj Mahal are absorbing preoccupations that provide a lifelong sense of fulfillment, but they are ultimately just distractions, skeletal architectures utilized to immure life with a modicum of manageability.

Vice

Sometimes fat is a result of absorbing a family preoccupation with food and then contesting it.

The Guardian - Opinion

During travels to Europe, especially Paris, Rockwell studied modern art and frequented the cafés in Montmartre, absorbing the bohemian scene and its preoccupation with one style over another, now cubism, now color.

Emerging Infectious Diseases

Utterly absorbing.

The Guardian - Books

"If they are not quite dead, the cinema and the movies sink deeper than ever into their preoccupation with dying," he wrote, his one caveat the result of having actually enjoyed a few "humane pictures made modestly on absorbing stories with a feeling for fictional lives that can be overwhelming", including Winter's Bone, The Arbor, A Prophet and Inception.

The Guardian - Film

There is absorbing information.

The New York Times

What am I absorbing?

The New York Times - Magazine

After completely absorbing.

WikiHow

"She's, like, 'Misogyny!' " "When We Rise" has absorbed Black's personal and political preoccupations — chief among them the idea of marriage as an emblem of liberation.

The New Yorker

Media preoccupation with traingate at Mr Corbyn's NHS speech today is easily absorbed into that view.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "absorbing preoccupation" when you want to convey that something completely captures someone's attention and focus, often to the exclusion of other things. It implies a deep and immersive interest.

Common error

While grammatically sound, "absorbing preoccupation" can sound overly dramatic or intense in some formal contexts. Consider using a more neutral term like "primary focus" or "key interest" for a less emphatic tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "absorbing preoccupation" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "absorbing" modifies the noun "preoccupation". This describes a state of being completely engrossed in something. Ludwig's examples show it describing interests and activities.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "absorbing preoccupation" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe a deep and all-consuming interest or focus. Ludwig indicates its correctness and provides examples mainly from News & Media sources. While versatile, it's best used when you want to emphasize the intensity of someone's engagement with a subject. Be mindful of the context, as it can be overly intense in formal settings, where "primary focus" might be a better fit. This phrase is uncommon but appropriate when a deep and immersive interest needs to be conveyed.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

major preoccupation

This alternative is almost a direct synonym, simply replacing the adjective "absorbing" with "major" to show its importance.

consuming interest

This alternative emphasizes the intensity of the interest, suggesting it takes up a significant amount of time and energy.

all-consuming passion

This intensifies the feeling, stating that the passion takes over every aspect of your life.

engrossing pursuit

This alternative highlights the active nature of the involvement, implying a dedicated effort towards a specific goal.

intense interest

This denotes a strong level of curiosity and engagement with a subject.

dominant obsession

This alternative suggests a potentially unhealthy or excessive focus, implying a loss of control.

central concern

This alternative emphasizes the importance of the preoccupation, highlighting its role as a primary consideration.

overriding passion

This alternative emphasizes the emotional intensity and driving force behind the preoccupation.

ruling enthusiasm

This alternative suggests a positive and energetic focus, implying a strong desire to engage with the subject.

prevailing fixation

This alternative suggests a persistent and unwavering focus, potentially bordering on the obsessive.

FAQs

How can I use "absorbing preoccupation" in a sentence?

You might say, "Her absorbing preoccupation with astrophysics led her to spend countless nights studying the stars" or "His absorbing preoccupation during the trip was photography".

What are some alternatives to "absorbing preoccupation"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives such as "consuming interest", "engrossing pursuit", or "dominant obsession".

Is "absorbing preoccupation" a formal or informal phrase?

While grammatically correct and understandable in most contexts, "absorbing preoccupation" leans towards a more formal or literary register. Consider your audience and the overall tone of your writing when deciding whether to use this phrase.

What does "absorbing preoccupation" imply?

It suggests a deep, all-encompassing interest or focus that captures one's attention completely. It implies a strong degree of immersion and engagement with the subject at hand.