preoccupy

verb

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 Increasingly, his mind was preoccupied with extremist views and conspiracy theories, including secret government cabals and false-flag operations. — Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026 Armand is not preoccupied by the archaic Great Laws as the season had lead us to believe. — Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026 As the genre’s name suggests, country music tends to be preoccupied with place; the charts are full of tributes to the satisfaction of being firmly rooted in a small town, and the sorrows of leaving it behind. — Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 19 July 2026 The musician will be preoccupied with the Distracted AF tour, which will visit a number of American and Canadian cities from October through December. — Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 14 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for preoccupy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preoccupy
  1. fascinate
  2. interest
  3. intrigue
  4. distract
  5. occupy
Verb
  • Wuest was also fascinated by the themes explored by the film, and couldn’t help but notice parallels to our current moment.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The ongoing sagas of Getz and Hoyer, two executives who got their jobs the old-school Chicago way — with no bothersome hiring searches conducted by their bosses — are ones that continue to fascinate me.
    — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of fascinate
Verb
  • Short trips and conversations with daily contacts, siblings and relatives will interest you.
    — Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 10 Aug. 2026
  • But what really interested us with this movie was trying to understand the humanity and searching for and exploring the love and the loyalty to characters to have a dialogue with an audience and not do it for the sake of ego or shock.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of interest
Verb
  • Fersko-Weiss had a friend who’d recently become a birth doula, and the concept intrigued him.
    — Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
  • When Kansas City launched a program to help local businesses fill vacant storefronts during the FIFA World Cup, Béty Lê Shackelford was intrigued.
    — Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of intrigue
Verb
  • The running text would distract from interviews of newsmakers, for example, but executives do see more chances to use it.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Environmental groups, including the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives, argue that bioplastics maintain the single-use paradigm and distract from real solutions.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of distract
Verb
  • Israeli forces currently occupy more than half of Gaza, in the east and south of the territory.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Some occupy the farmhouses on the lower slope, overlooking the cobbled courtyard and Mediterranean herb gardens, while others are slightly further up and offer panoramic views of the Panzano valley.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of occupy

Browse Nearby Words

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preoccupy
preoccupying
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Cite this Entry

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

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Nglish: Translation of preoccupy for Spanish Speakers

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