as in interesting
to be thought about or worried about by (someone) very often or constantly
The question of life after death has preoccupied many philosophers.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preoccupying
Verb
-
New York has intriguing young outfielders in Jasson Domínguez and Spencer jones, but Bellinger was the team's second best player in the lineup this season.—
Shaun McAvoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Democratic crackup that’s now underway in Washington is distracting the party from a series of brutal fights just ahead that will culminate in next year’s midterms.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Even without mixing and matching, simple gold hoops can offer a sleek and classy look that feels elevated and sophisticated enough for wearing to the office, celebrating milestones, and attending events without being distracting.—
Jessie Quinn,
StyleCaster,
10 Nov. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Preoccupying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preoccupying. Accessed 2 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share