preoccupy
verb (used with object)
to absorb or engross to the exclusion of other things.
preoccupying
-
present participleof preoccupy.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
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.
For the company at the center of the boom, that’s an increasingly preoccupying question.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
With the use of personal data by AI models preoccupying authorities, particularly in Europe, Berners-Lee has made data protection his main cause in recent years, notably through the startup Inrupt.
From Barron's ● Jun. 4, 2026
So much so that the dread itself becomes preoccupying, all-enveloping, claustrophobic.
From Salon ● Dec. 27, 2024
“What is preoccupying my brain, my everything, is just the fear of what’s going to happen next,” he said in an interview.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 21, 2023
Phineas had one of those minds which could record what is happening in the background and do nothing about it because something else was preoccupying him.
From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles
