preoccupied

adjective

pre·​oc·​cu·​pied (ˌ)prē-ˈä-kyə-ˌpīd 

1

: previously applied to another group and unavailable for use in a new sense

—used of a biological generic or specific name

2

a

: lost in thought

also : absorbed in some preoccupation

b

: already occupied

Synonyms

• absent
• absentminded
• abstracted
• distracted

Choose the Right Synonym for preoccupied

abstracted, preoccupied, absent, absent-minded, distracted mean inattentive to what claims or demands consideration.

abstracted implies absorption of the mind in something other than one's surroundings, and often suggests reflection on weighty matters.

walking about with an abstracted air

preoccupied often implies having one's attention so taken up by thoughts as to neglect others.

too preoccupied with her debts to enjoy the meal

absent stresses inability to fix the mind on present concerns due more to mental wandering than to concentration on other matters.

an absent stare

absent-minded implies that the mind is fixed elsewhere and often refers to a habit of abstractedness.

so absent-minded, he's been known to wear mismatched shoes

distracted may suggest an inability to concentrate caused by worry, sorrow, or anxiety.

was too distracted by grief to continue working

Examples of preoccupied in a Sentence

too preoccupied with her worries to enjoy the meal

Recent Examples on the Web

That’s great modeling because, when comforting a friend who is coping with a recent loss, many people become too preoccupied with what to say, Cormier says. —Aditi Shrikant, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2024

Walter often spots her running hither and thither, seeming free in contrast with the increasingly preoccupied villagers for a harbinger of change has arrived in the form of the map-maker Quill (Arinzé Kene). —Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 3 Sep. 2024

Parents may even become preoccupied with the bullying, at the expense of their health and well-being and that of their other children. —Sherri Gordon, Parents, 31 July 2024

The economy was improving, Nigel Farage might have become preoccupied with the U.S. election campaign, and so on. —The Editors, National Review, 8 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1790, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing preoccupied

• self-preoccupied

Kids Definition

preoccupied

adjective

pre·​oc·​cu·​pied (ˈ)prē-ˈäk-yə-ˌpīd 

1

: lost in thought : engrossed

2

: already occupied