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
It was preoccupied with worshipping the Golden Calf.
—
Armstrong Williams, Baltimore Sun, 10 July 2024
In particularly stinging questioning on Friday, prosecutors implied that Mr. Biden had been preoccupied with contacting drug dealers while ignoring his daughter’s messages.
—Katie Rogers, New York Times, 7 June 2024
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
See all Example Sentences for preoccupy 
Armstrong Williams, Baltimore Sun, 10 July 2024
In particularly stinging questioning on Friday, prosecutors implied that Mr. Biden had been preoccupied with contacting drug dealers while ignoring his daughter’s messages.
—Katie Rogers, New York Times, 7 June 2024
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
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 15 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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