PREOCCUPIES Synonyms: 30 Similar and Opposite Words

preoccupies

verb

present tense third-person singular of preoccupy

as in fascinates

to be thought about or worried about by (someone) very often or constantly The question of life after death has preoccupied many philosophers.

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of preoccupies In other versions, the demon preoccupies himself with people who’ve fallen asleep in church, carefully noting down every snore. — JSTOR Daily, 31 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for preoccupies

Verb

Yet, what fascinates is that Aristotle’s God isn’t a typical divine being who summons and shepherds.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026
Meanwhile, what fascinates aspiring neurologist Makenzie Stovall is the idea that AI is trying to emulate the brain — an organ whose inner workings continue to leave researchers dumbfounded.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of fascinates

Verb

Often, undercapitalization is a major challenge for new franchisees and distracts from operations.

— Angelo Chavez, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Scientists now are spending an increasing amount of time worrying about keeping the lights on and people employed, which ultimately distracts from time spent doing research.

— Abdullah Shihipar, STAT, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of distracts

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preoccupied

preoccupies

preoccupy

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“Preoccupies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preoccupies. Accessed 18 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of preoccupies

verb

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