preoccupied

adjective

pre·​oc·​cu·​pied (ˌ)prē-ˈä-kyə-ˌpīd 

1

: previously applied to another group and unavailable for use in a new sense

—used of a biological generic or specific name

2

a

: lost in thought

also : absorbed in some preoccupation

b

: already occupied

Synonyms

• absent
• absentminded
• abstracted
• distracted

Choose the Right Synonym for preoccupied

abstracted, preoccupied, absent, absent-minded, distracted mean inattentive to what claims or demands consideration.

abstracted implies absorption of the mind in something other than one's surroundings, and often suggests reflection on weighty matters.

walking about with an abstracted air

preoccupied often implies having one's attention so taken up by thoughts as to neglect others.

too preoccupied with her debts to enjoy the meal

absent stresses inability to fix the mind on present concerns due more to mental wandering than to concentration on other matters.

an absent stare

absent-minded implies that the mind is fixed elsewhere and often refers to a habit of abstractedness.

so absent-minded, he's been known to wear mismatched shoes

distracted may suggest an inability to concentrate caused by worry, sorrow, or anxiety.

was too distracted by grief to continue working

Examples of preoccupied in a Sentence

too preoccupied with her worries to enjoy the meal

Recent Examples on the Web

Gray is too preoccupied to notice that his wife, Rose (Paula Malcomson), and daughter, Mac (Arica Himmel), are still hurting as well and might be hankering to leave the city behind. —Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Mar. 2024

Triumph secured Matsuyama a $4 million cut of the $20 million prize purse and raised him 35 places to world No. 20, but the victor was more preoccupied with the significance of his ninth win on Tour – his first since Hawaii’s Sony Open in 2022. —Jack Bantock, CNN, 19 Feb. 2024

Most were too preoccupied about real-world issues to spend much time reveling in another Black American blazing trails: high gas prices, the soaring cost of housing, homelessness, the neglect of the city’s Black business districts. —Tyrone Beason, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2023

Levine says Zelenskyy is facing harsh realities of a non-NATO nation mired in a seemingly endless war, highly dependent on assistance from the preoccupied West. —John Bacon, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2024

Though Lord John might be a bit preoccupied with his adoptive son, William (Charles Vandervaart). —Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 15 June 2023

At the time, prestige TV was on the rise, and writers’ rooms across Hollywood became overly preoccupied with chasing critical approval, rather than audiences and revenue. —Irina Aleksander, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2024

Mom the mayor is too preoccupied to notice her own child’s distress, over that or the controlling behavior of bad-boy new squeeze Rob (Tyler James White). —Dennis Harvey, Variety, 20 Jan. 2024

Or were you too preoccupied still trying to make Nate’s character arc make a lick of sense? —Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1790, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing preoccupied

• self-preoccupied

Kids Definition

preoccupied

adjective

pre·​oc·​cu·​pied (ˈ)prē-ˈäk-yə-ˌpīd 

1

: lost in thought : engrossed

2

: already occupied