preoccupy

verb
UK: /priːˈɒk.jʊ.paɪ/
US: /priːˈɑːk.jə.paɪ/

  1. To think about something so much that you don't pay attention to other things.

    1. Work can preoccupy your mind, making it hard to relax.
    2. The mystery of the missing keys began to preoccupy her thoughts all day.

  2. To fill your time or attention.

    1. The children's games preoccupy them for hours.
    2. Daily tasks and chores preoccupy much of my time, but I enjoy them.

Synonyms

engross obsess absorb worry concern distract
preoccupy adjective

  1. Engrossed in thought; deeply absorbed or focused.

    1. She seemed preoccupied and didn't notice me.
    2. He was too preoccupied with his own worries to listen to my problems.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "preoccupy" in English means: To think about something so much that you don't pay attention to other things., To fill your time or attention..

The phonetic transcription of "preoccupy" is /priːˈɒk.jʊ.paɪ/ in British English and /priːˈɑːk.jə.paɪ/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "preoccupy": engross, obsess, absorb, worry, concern, distract.

Example usage of "preoccupy": "Work can preoccupy your mind, making it hard to relax.". More examples on the page.