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
With Russia preoccupied in Ukraine, and Iran with Israel, Maduro is left to fend for himself.
—
Kristina Foltz, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025
The rental industry has spent the last decade being preoccupied with efficiency.
—Maria Williams, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
Onscreen, Evans’s Mike Tyler instead takes a more self-destructive route — at times, equal parts hilarious and harrowing — preoccupied by his public image and being perceived as a righteous do-gooder.
—Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025
The speaker, preoccupied with what others think and barely able to see past the image of his face, hears only his own voice.
—A.o. Scott, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preoccupy
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Kristina Foltz, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025
The rental industry has spent the last decade being preoccupied with efficiency.
—Maria Williams, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
Onscreen, Evans’s Mike Tyler instead takes a more self-destructive route — at times, equal parts hilarious and harrowing — preoccupied by his public image and being perceived as a righteous do-gooder.
—Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025
The speaker, preoccupied with what others think and barely able to see past the image of his face, hears only his own voice.
—A.o. Scott, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preoccupy
Cite this Entry
“Preoccupy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preoccupy. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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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