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
Shakespeare was a master of depicting the kinds of universal experiences — lust, betrayal, self-disgust, fear — that might preoccupy a young literary-minded student.
—
Talya Zax, Washington Post, 26 June 2024
An increasing number of China’s foreign policy experts now think that war over Taiwan is more likely than not, and U.S. policymakers are preoccupied with the question of how best to support the island.
—Odd Arne Westad, Foreign Affairs, 13 June 2024
Estate planners saw a spike in wills and trusts at the pandemic’s peak, a time when many Americans were stuck in their homes and preoccupied with their health.
—Daniel De Visé, USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024
This is the time of a season when baseball should be preoccupied with celebrating and selling hope to each fan base.
—Bob Raissman, New York Daily News, 30 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for preoccupy 
Talya Zax, Washington Post, 26 June 2024
An increasing number of China’s foreign policy experts now think that war over Taiwan is more likely than not, and U.S. policymakers are preoccupied with the question of how best to support the island.
—Odd Arne Westad, Foreign Affairs, 13 June 2024
Estate planners saw a spike in wills and trusts at the pandemic’s peak, a time when many Americans were stuck in their homes and preoccupied with their health.
—Daniel De Visé, USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024
This is the time of a season when baseball should be preoccupied with celebrating and selling hope to each fan base.
—Bob Raissman, New York Daily News, 30 Mar. 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 7 Jul. 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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