preoccupy

verb

Definition of preoccupynext
as in to fascinate
to be thought about or worried about by (someone) very often or constantly The question of life after death has preoccupied many philosophers.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of preoccupy For those still not in the know, the last installment saw Enola insecure about proving worthy of the Holmes name, struggling to figure out her own identity while Sherlock was preoccupied with a case of his own. — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026 The instructor was preoccupied less with physical training and more with ideas like situational awareness, outlining an approach to safety that began long before a physical threat ever arrived. — Literary Hub, 30 June 2026 From virtually the first frames, director Andrew Stanton is preoccupied with illustrating the melancholic condition of toys that have been consigned to the ash heap of history, or, at least, of childhood. — Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 27 June 2026 The people preoccupied with Israel’s image came from European institutions, not Israeli cinema. — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for preoccupy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preoccupy
  1. fascinate
  2. interest
  3. intrigue
  4. distract
  5. occupy
Verb
  • The Vesuvius disaster and its immense human toll continue to fascinate historians and the public millennia later.
    — Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
  • Denby, as a critic, was fascinated by the great dancer Vaslav Nijinsky, as much for his expressions as for his torso, arms, or legs.
    — Cal Revely-Calder, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
Definition of fascinate
Verb
  • Nothing that would interest a musicologist in any serious forensic sense.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 6 July 2026
  • These are novels about bohemian communities of friends and lovers and artistic collaborators, which is a big part of what interests me about AIDS activism.
    — Sarah Schulman, Literary Hub, 29 June 2026
Definition of interest
Verb
  • The actress recalls how Robinson, also 31, intrigued her back then.
    — Eric Andersson, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
  • After the last pitch, the room opens up for mingling, and attendees approach whoever intrigued them.
    — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 2 July 2026
Definition of intrigue
Verb
  • Now back in King’s Landing, Corlys is distracted at best, meeting with Rhaenyra’s small council to address the crown’s nonexistent funds — the latest on a long list of problems that need solving for the new Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.
    — Zoe Papelis, Vulture, 6 July 2026
  • The 5-foot-4 Italian tried not to let the presence of the record eight-time men's singles champion distract her.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 July 2026
Definition of distract
Verb
  • There is a wide open space for Democrats to occupy that territory.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
  • Beneath those practical debates, however, American lawyers have gradually come to understand themselves as occupying two roles simultaneously, as Robert Gordon described.
    — Joseph Andrew, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
Definition of occupy

Browse Nearby Words

preoccupies
preoccupy
preoccupying
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Cite this Entry

“Preoccupy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preoccupy. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on preoccupy

Nglish: Translation of preoccupy for Spanish Speakers

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