Conceptual journalist is preoccupied (10)
I believe the answer is:
abstracted
'is preoccupied' is the definition.
(synonyms)
'conceptual journalist' is the wordplay.
'conceptual' becomes 'abstract' (similar in meaning).
'journalist' becomes 'ed' (short for editor).
'abstract'+'ed'='ABSTRACTED'
(Other definitions for abstracted that I've seen before include "miles away" , "without concentrating" , "Removed - preoccupied - absent-minded" , "Summarised -- lacking concentration" , "Taken out" .)