preoccupy

verb

pre·​oc·​cu·​py (ˌ)prē-ˈä-kyə-ˌpī 

preoccupied; preoccupying; preoccupies

transitive verb

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

Instagram Mark Zuckerberg Google preoccupied with both Path and Instagram Dropbox YouTube YouTubeX Explore this year's list. —Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2025

Instead, the industry is preoccupied with refining the foundational components while overlooking the critical layers needed for seamless integration into everyday life. —Egor Pushkin, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025

Luis Suarez took the ball to the end line at Chase Stadium while Sporting’s back line was preoccupied with another run in the box. —Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 26 Feb. 2025

All these same issues that preoccupy America today were also preoccupying it back then. —Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 12 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin praeoccupare, literally, to seize in advance, from prae- + occupare to seize, occupy

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for preoccupy

• acidify
• alveoli
• areolae
• demystify
• detoxify
• disqualify
• diversify
• electrify
• exemplify
• fasciculi
• identify
• indemnify

Kids 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

(ˌ)prē-ˌäk-yə-ˈpā-shən

noun