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
Conflicts elsewhere had made Assad’s key allies unable or unwilling to defend him: Russia was preoccupied with its war in Ukraine; Iran was debilitated and powerless to protect its proxies; and Hezbollah, in Lebanon, was weakened by its fight with Israel.
—
Volker Perthes, Foreign Affairs, 24 Jan. 2025
This is the claim that your mind is being preoccupied or disturbed without a suitable form of ROI in the sense that the mental and human costs outweigh the benefits.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 19 Jan. 2025
January also looks like a month where you’ll be preoccupied with hustle and grind mode, but not because work is going completely according to plan.
—Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Dec. 2024
The character just addresses so many of his interests, and is preoccupied with a lot of the same esoteric knowledge and research.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 26 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for preoccupy 
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Volker Perthes, Foreign Affairs, 24 Jan. 2025
This is the claim that your mind is being preoccupied or disturbed without a suitable form of ROI in the sense that the mental and human costs outweigh the benefits.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 19 Jan. 2025
January also looks like a month where you’ll be preoccupied with hustle and grind mode, but not because work is going completely according to plan.
—Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Dec. 2024
The character just addresses so many of his interests, and is preoccupied with a lot of the same esoteric knowledge and research.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 26 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 16 Feb. 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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