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
He is preoccupied with squaring the circle: purveying great, affordable coffee that doesn’t stiff the producer.
—
Nina Caplan, Travel + Leisure, 14 July 2025
Although his administration has been preoccupied with other immediate priorities, there are multiple indications that reviving talks with Pyongyang remains high on the president’s agenda.
—Andrei Lankov, Foreign Affairs, 8 July 2025
Then along came Gábor Domokos, a mathematician at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics who had long been preoccupied with balancing problems.
—Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 25 June 2025
In October 2023, after two years of no dating — preoccupied caring for her sick parents and recovering from a difficult break-up — Shirley Williams, 39, implemented a new strategy to find her husband.
—Meagan Jordan, Rolling Stone, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for preoccupy
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Nina Caplan, Travel + Leisure, 14 July 2025
Although his administration has been preoccupied with other immediate priorities, there are multiple indications that reviving talks with Pyongyang remains high on the president’s agenda.
—Andrei Lankov, Foreign Affairs, 8 July 2025
Then along came Gábor Domokos, a mathematician at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics who had long been preoccupied with balancing problems.
—Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 25 June 2025
In October 2023, after two years of no dating — preoccupied caring for her sick parents and recovering from a difficult break-up — Shirley Williams, 39, implemented a new strategy to find her husband.
—Meagan Jordan, Rolling Stone, 30 June 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 29 Jul. 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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