preoccupation

/ˌpɹiɑkjʊˈpeɪʃən/

//ˌpɹiɑkjʊˈpeɪʃən// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"preoccupation" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“preoccupation” has 18 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #34,234. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#34,234
frequency rank, English
4,417
“P” headwords
18
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The state of being preoccupied or an idea that preoccupies the mind; enthrallment.

Corpus desk

Index EN-preoccupation · preoccupation · English

preoccupation · rank #34,234 · 18 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #34,234
  • LEN-MEGA 13 letters
  • VOW-6 6 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 18 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,417
  • PHOTO-FINISH prim

Nearest frequency peer: prim (+1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “preoccupation”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “preoccupation” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for preoccupation
PropertyValue
Headwordpreoccupation
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌpɹiɑkjʊˈpeɪʃən/
Letters13
Frequency rank#34,234
Misspellings tracked18
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “preoccupation”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).preoccupationlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “prim” (#34,235), “preamble” (#34,232), “programmatic” (#34,236). Among 4,417 “P” headwords, “preoccupation” is #34,234. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 18 spelling variants around preoccupation (IPA /ˌpɹiɑkjʊˈpeɪʃən/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #34,234 among 4,417 “P” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 18 likely wrong-spelling variants for preoccupation, with forms such as "peroccupation", "ppreoccupation", and "precocupation". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Middle French préoccupation, from Latin praeoccupātiō. By surface analysis, pre- + occupation or preoccupy + -ation. The correct English form is preoccupation, spelled P-R-E-O-C-C-U-P-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The state of being preoccupied or an idea that preoccupies the mind; enthrallment.
  2. 2
    The act of occupying something before someone else.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how preoccupation appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The same preoccupation with developing a conceptual framework is evident in David Blank's Venezuela: Politics in a Petroleum Republic, a modified version of Blank's early theses.
  2. Halalisation signifies a powerful and growing preoccupation with the proliferation of […]

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French préoccupation, from Latin praeoccupātiō. By surface analysis, pre- + occupation or preoccupy + -ation.

Synonyms

preoccupancy

This word in other languages

Sorge(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • peroccupation
  • ppreoccupation
  • precocupation
  • preoccpuation
  • preoccuaption
  • preoccupaiton
  • preoccupasion
  • preoccupatino
  • preoccupationn
  • preoccupatoin
  • preoccupattion
  • preoccuppation
  • preoccuptaion
  • preocucpation
  • preocupation
  • proeccupation
  • prreoccupation
  • rpeoccupation

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of preoccupation - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

peroccupation2ppreoccupation1precocupation2preoccpuation2preoccuaption2preoccupaiton2preoccupasion1preoccupatino2
Edit distance from "preoccupation"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "preoccupation"?
"preoccupation" is spelled P-R-E-O-C-C-U-P-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌpɹiɑkjʊˈpeɪʃən/.
What does "preoccupation" mean?
As a noun, "preoccupation" means: The state of being preoccupied or an idea that preoccupies the mind; enthrallment.
What are common misspellings of "preoccupation"?
Common misspellings include "peroccupation", "ppreoccupation", "precocupation", "preoccpuation", "preoccuaption". The correct spelling is "preoccupation".
How do you pronounce "preoccupation"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "preoccupation" is /ˌpɹiɑkjʊˈpeɪʃən/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "preoccupation"?
Borrowed from Middle French préoccupation, from Latin praeoccupātiō. By surface analysis, pre- + occupation or preoccupy + -ation. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "preoccupation", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 13 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

physiotherapy#34,225uninteresting#34,334interrogating#34,129intercultural#34,128

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (18 here; floor ≥5).

racketeering18 variantsoceanography18 variantsmasquerading18 variantsstatistician18 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list