preoccupy
verb
pre·oc·cu·py
(ˌ)prē-ˈä-kyə-ˌpī 
preoccupied; preoccupying; preoccupies
1
: to engage or engross the interest or attention of beforehand or preferentially
2
: to take possession of or fill beforehand or before another
Examples of preoccupy in a Sentence
The question of life after death has preoccupied many philosophers.
Recent Examples on the Web
Meaning, your child cannot be preoccupied by a cellular device.
—
Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Feb. 2026
Our upcoming walk preoccupied me the whole morning.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
Clinical accuracy is not something with which poets have traditionally tended to preoccupy themselves, but Tennyson’s account of mental extremity impressed the experts.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
City appear to have optimised this trade-off, knowing when to punish defences preoccupied with box-defending by striking from distance.
—Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for preoccupy
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Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Feb. 2026
Our upcoming walk preoccupied me the whole morning.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
Clinical accuracy is not something with which poets have traditionally tended to preoccupy themselves, but Tennyson’s account of mental extremity impressed the experts.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
City appear to have optimised this trade-off, knowing when to punish defences preoccupied with box-defending by striking from distance.
—Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for preoccupy
Cite this Entry
“Preoccupy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preoccupy. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
preoccupy
verb
pre·oc·cu·py
(ˈ)prē-ˈäk-yə-ˌpī
1
: to hold the attention of beforehand
2
: to take possession of before another
preoccupation
noun
(ˌ)prē-ˌäk-yə-ˈpā-shən
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