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
As shoppers cling to nostalgic styles from an era of economic security and keep their mind preoccupied with smaller luxury purchases, their shifting buying behaviors impact the fashion and beauty industries at large—trickling up to create major change and creating new trends.
—
Elizabeth Grace Coyne, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025
Healey seems preoccupied with being a national progressive leader and seems primed for a surprise challenge from within Massachusetts and her own party.
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 27 Mar. 2025
There is something similar going on with the Ratliff brothers, whose parents are both preoccupied with their own crises — an FBI investigation, pill addictions, and their daughter, Piper, wanting to move to Thailand to join a monastery.
—Louis Staples, Rolling Stone, 24 Mar. 2025
Don’t preoccupy yourself too much with the plot; just enjoy the deadpan humor, excellent visual gags (like the Tim Hortons sign in Farsi), and surreal images (like the turkey dealer with large studio headshots of turkeys on the wall).
—Lisa Wong MacAbasco, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preoccupy
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.
Elizabeth Grace Coyne, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025
Healey seems preoccupied with being a national progressive leader and seems primed for a surprise challenge from within Massachusetts and her own party.
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 27 Mar. 2025
There is something similar going on with the Ratliff brothers, whose parents are both preoccupied with their own crises — an FBI investigation, pill addictions, and their daughter, Piper, wanting to move to Thailand to join a monastery.
—Louis Staples, Rolling Stone, 24 Mar. 2025
Don’t preoccupy yourself too much with the plot; just enjoy the deadpan humor, excellent visual gags (like the Tim Hortons sign in Farsi), and surreal images (like the turkey dealer with large studio headshots of turkeys on the wall).
—Lisa Wong MacAbasco, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preoccupy
Cite this Entry
“Preoccupy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preoccupy. Accessed 16 Apr. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share