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
Like the rest of the business world, these CEOs are preoccupied with AI, but few seem worried about its disruptive impact.
—
Alan Murray, Fortune, 6 June 2024
Last week, The Times and The Banner reported that Baltimore’s initial public health response to rising overdoses was hailed as a national model, but efforts began to stall as other crises preoccupied leaders.
—Jessica Gallagher, New York Times, 3 June 2024
For those of us who grew up in more traditional households, our mothers may have spent their days preoccupied with how clean their homes were and whether or not dinner was ready as soon as their husbands returned after work.
—Lola Sanchez, Parents, 29 May 2024
By Maurice Samuels / Made by History May 21, 2024 9:00 AM EDT
If the box office receipts of the recent film Civil War offer any indication, Americans are preoccupied with our national divisions, which only seem to grow by the day.
—Maurice Samuels / Made By History, TIME, 21 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for preoccupy 
Alan Murray, Fortune, 6 June 2024
Last week, The Times and The Banner reported that Baltimore’s initial public health response to rising overdoses was hailed as a national model, but efforts began to stall as other crises preoccupied leaders.
—Jessica Gallagher, New York Times, 3 June 2024
For those of us who grew up in more traditional households, our mothers may have spent their days preoccupied with how clean their homes were and whether or not dinner was ready as soon as their husbands returned after work.
—Lola Sanchez, Parents, 29 May 2024
By Maurice Samuels / Made by History May 21, 2024 9:00 AM EDT
If the box office receipts of the recent film Civil War offer any indication, Americans are preoccupied with our national divisions, which only seem to grow by the day.
—Maurice Samuels / Made By History, TIME, 21 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for preoccupy
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'preoccupy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near preoccupy
Cite this Entry
“Preoccupy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preoccupy. Accessed 9 Jun. 2024.
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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