preoccupied
Americanadjective
-
completely engrossed in thought; absorbed.
- Synonyms:
- busy
-
previously occupied; taken; filled.
-
Biology. already used as a name for some species, genus, etc., and not available as a designation for any other.
adjective
-
engrossed or absorbed in something, esp one's own thoughts
-
already or previously occupied
-
biology (of a taxonomic name) already used to designate a genus, species, etc
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of preoccupied
Explanation
When you're preoccupied, you're completely focused on whatever it is that you're doing. It's good to be preoccupied when you're driving, as long as you're preoccupied with the road and not with your cell phone. Have you ever been so preoccupied with another person that you couldn't hear or see anyone else when you were in the same room as them? Well, it sounds like you were in love! You can be preoccupied with a person, a place, or even a hobby, like collecting baseball cards or seashells. Preoccupied can also mean that you are wrapped up in your own thoughts, which is good if you find yourself to be the most amusing person in the world.
Vocabulary lists containing preoccupied
"The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury
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I Am Malala
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The Breadwinner
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Preoccupied with some late afternoon leaf snacking, the animals didn’t seem too bothered by our presence.
From National Geographic • Dec. 20, 2023
Preoccupied by helping my students craft and publish poignant first person pages on a one-to-one basis, I'd missed the corporatization of academia.
From Salon • Jan. 16, 2022
Preoccupied by coronavirus and foreign policy crises, EU leaders have given little attention to Brexit in recent months.
From The Guardian • Sep. 16, 2020
Preoccupied with the coronavirus fallout, it is also being asked to resolve the mess in several emerging markets where things have gone sour.
From Reuters • Feb. 21, 2020
Preoccupied by her uncomfortable refuge and the parade of misfortunes since the slave catchers found them out, Cora did not immediately notice an important feature of the park: Everyone was white.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
