Preoccupy Meaning
/pɹɪˈɒkjupaɪ/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo distract; to draw attention elsewhere.
verbTo worry or concern (someone) so as to distract them.
Sentence Examples
I didn't want the problem to preoccupy all of my thoughts.
Work seemed to preoccupy him more than family matters.
Fears about the upcoming exam began to preoccupy her thoughts completely.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The upcoming exam will ____ the students' minds for the whole week.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Financial worries continued to ____ her mind even during what should have been a relaxing holiday.
Word Origin & History
From pre- + occupy, after Middle French preoccuper, and its source, Latin praeoccupo, praeoccupare. Doublet of preoccupate, now obsolete.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Dr. Beeching's obvious intent is that if Scottish—and similarly unprofitable English and Welsh—railways are to be maintained, it must be done by an unconcealed subsidy; he is determined that the railways shall no longer be preoccupied with—and derided for—immense deficits which include the burden of social services the State must openly underwrite, if it wants them."
— 1962 October, “Talking of Trains: Passed to you, Mr. Macmillan”, in Modern Railways, page 220:
"Terrified at this uproar, […] she ran for shelter into the place which was pre-occupied by the other lady […]."
— 1751, [Tobias] Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), London: Harrison and Co., […], →OCLC:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The upcoming exam will ____ the students' minds for the whole week.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Financial worries continued to ____ her mind even during what should have been a relaxing holiday.