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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Recent Examples of preoccupy
Pop culture has been preoccupied with commitment angst lately.
—
Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2026
With Dylan preoccupied, Greg heads to the bar and spots Cristle.
—Erin Qualey, Vulture, 30 Mar. 2026
And from the excerpts, the reader learns that Hermia, too, is preoccupied with androgyny.
—Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
Does her mind, preoccupied with business, fail to grapple with the intimate problems of home?
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for preoccupy
Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2026
With Dylan preoccupied, Greg heads to the bar and spots Cristle.
—Erin Qualey, Vulture, 30 Mar. 2026
And from the excerpts, the reader learns that Hermia, too, is preoccupied with androgyny.
—Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
Does her mind, preoccupied with business, fail to grapple with the intimate problems of home?
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for preoccupy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preoccupy
Verb
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The idea was likened to a national version of unearthing an ancient Egyptian tomb and expected to fascinate audiences.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
22 Apr. 2026
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Alicia Johnson, who lives in Onarga in Iroquois County, said she was fascinated by the neighborhood.—
Janice Neumann,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The fact that both CBS News and CNN will be under the new corporate roof, however, makes the involvement of Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf interests a sensitive point.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
27 Apr. 2026
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There’s something easy about sweet that doesn’t interest me.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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More than anything, Williams said she was intrigued about the way Golden State played last season and the energy brought to the arena each night.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
26 Apr. 2026
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Benjamin Moore’s China White If you’re intrigued by green but not quite ready to take the full plunge, Velten-Lattrell points to a recent project pairing Benjamin Moore’s China White on the main house with Farrow & Ball’s Treron (a herbaceous green) on the shutters.—
Marisa Suzanne Martin,
The Spruce,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This white chocolate bar is creamy and ultra-sweet, and the great minds at TJ’s were smart to distract from the one-note flavor with crunchy little cookie crumbles.—
Alex Beggs,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
25 Apr. 2026
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The curators supply a historical backdrop, therefore, but discreetly, and without distracting us from Wright’s poetic originality.—
Julian Bell,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This exercise is intended to not only show where the Rangers have players in place for 2026-27, and which spots those players are likely to occupy, but also to highlight the most glaring holes.—
Vincent Z. Mercogliano,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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Ganni has historically occupied a clearly accessible contemporary positioning, but its elevation strategy has nudged it upward without fully redefining what the brand stands for.—
Maliha Shoaib,
Vogue,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Preoccupy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preoccupy. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
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