preoccupy
verb
pre·oc·cu·py
(ˌ)prē-ˈä-kyə-ˌpī 
preoccupied; preoccupying; preoccupies
1
: to engage or engross the interest or attention of beforehand or preferentially
2
: to take possession of or fill beforehand or before another
Examples of preoccupy in a Sentence
The question of life after death has preoccupied many philosophers.
Recent Examples on the Web
Speed Things Up The rest of the world may be preoccupied with efficiency and instant gratification, but there are certain things that those of us in this region will never rush—from cooking our greens low and slow to saying our goodbyes.
—
Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 29 Dec. 2024
Adults—especially millennials and Gen Z, are preoccupied with wellness, disillusioned with healthcare, and willing to splurge on trips and upgrades.
—Caitlin Gunther, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Dec. 2024
Still, he and other leaders are preoccupied by other issues, from economic troubles to the surge of far-right populist parties.
—Mark Landler, New York Times, 19 Dec. 2024
Lately, tabloids, and the Internet, have been preoccupied with the reported breakup between the twenty-five-year-old pop singer Sabrina Carpenter and the thirty-two-year-old actor Barry Keoghan.
—Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2024
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Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 29 Dec. 2024
Adults—especially millennials and Gen Z, are preoccupied with wellness, disillusioned with healthcare, and willing to splurge on trips and upgrades.
—Caitlin Gunther, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Dec. 2024
Still, he and other leaders are preoccupied by other issues, from economic troubles to the surge of far-right populist parties.
—Mark Landler, New York Times, 19 Dec. 2024
Lately, tabloids, and the Internet, have been preoccupied with the reported breakup between the twenty-five-year-old pop singer Sabrina Carpenter and the thirty-two-year-old actor Barry Keoghan.
—Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for preoccupy
Dictionary Entries Near preoccupy
Cite this Entry
“Preoccupy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preoccupy. Accessed 7 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
preoccupy
verb
pre·oc·cu·py
(ˈ)prē-ˈäk-yə-ˌpī
1
: to hold the attention of beforehand
2
: to take possession of before another
preoccupation
noun
(ˌ)prē-ˌäk-yə-ˈpā-shən
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