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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The Breadwinner
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I Am Malala
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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.
Angel City and “Ted Lasso” both came to life in the summer of 2020 when the rest of the world was preoccupied with something far more serious, the global COVID-19 pandemic.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026
In a campaign swing through the Rio Grande Valley, a heavily Latino part of the state, Hinojosa worked to shore up support among Latino voters preoccupied with the state of public education.
From Salon ● Oct. 1, 2026
Another earnings season is just around the corner, and more companies than usual have had upbeat expectations, while their executives are also a bit less preoccupied with inflation.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 13, 2026
Bush, 48, of Otley in West Yorkshire, was "preoccupied with his own enrichment", defrauded nearly 200 families out of £562,117 and "caused anguish and pain on a scale beyond comprehension", the judge said.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
“I would normally be quite glad to make your acquaintance, but I happen to be a bit preoccupied at the moment.”
From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
