preoccupy

Definition of preoccupynext
as in to fascinate
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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Example Sentences

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 preoccupy Or is he preoccupied with positioning himself to run for president in 2028? — Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026 For much of the following century, food photography functioned as a sort of ethnographic art, a form of restrained realism preoccupied with light and shadow, shape and symbolism. — Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2026 In the meantime, you’ll be preoccupied with more mundane things this month, like organizing your budget and catching up on correspondence. — Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2026 That leaves companies such as Micron caught between strong underlying demand and a market preoccupied with macroeconomic risks. — Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for preoccupy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preoccupy
Verb
  • In 2008, passionate surfer Tim Russo purchased the property, renamed it, and set out to organically grow it into a resort full of wonder where serious surfers and travelers fascinated with the surf lifestyle could vacation happily.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Interest is heightened when royal stories cover Princess Diana, who was one of the most famous women in the world, with people fascinated by her life.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The serious question of, frankly, human survival did not seem to interest them at all.
    — Ian Frazier, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Cranor said a person’s risk depends on how often they are targeted, their security habits, their ability to recognize suspicious messages, and whether the lure really interests them.
    — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • When Brazilian pop star Giulia Be first saw a photo of Conor Kennedy, she was immediately intrigued.
    — Alexandra Macon, Vogue, 12 Oct. 2026
  • His decade spent working in sci-fi and his upbringing in his British seaside town of Bridlington had Heaton instantly intrigued.
    — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Elsewhere Citroën is banking on retro-chic styling to distract consumers from the vehicle's minimalism.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 12 Oct. 2026
  • For Bajaria, the brief opportunity to own a legacy studio didn’t distract from her core mission.
    — K.J. Yossman, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Not far away, armed men had been occupying makeshift barricades, blocking roads and turning some drivers away.
    — Dan Raby, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Three women sit in front of me, each one occupying a salon chair in a tiny room with a single shampoo bowl, and one window that faces a bare, enclosed courtyard with yellowing grass.
    — Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 8 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Preoccupy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preoccupy. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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