preoccupied

American  

[pree-ok-yuh-pahyd] / priˈɒk yəˌpaɪd /

adjective

1. completely engrossed in thought; absorbed.

   Synonyms:

   busy

2. previously occupied; taken; filled.

3. Biology. already used as a name for some species, genus, etc., and not available as a designation for any other.

---

preoccupied British  

/ priːˈɒkjʊˌpaɪd /

adjective

1. engrossed or absorbed in something, esp one's own thoughts

2. already or previously occupied

3. biology (of a taxonomic name) already used to designate a genus, species, etc

---

Other Word Forms

• preoccupiedly adverb
• preoccupiedness noun
• unpreoccupied adjective

Etymology

Origin of preoccupied

First recorded in 1835–45; preoccupy + -ed ²

Example Sentences

“You think, it’s about a woman who’s single, so I have to address that—and then I think, how much cooler would it be if she’s not just totally preoccupied by it?”

From The Wall Street Journal

We were so preoccupied, I think, by the ordinary things in life, that after a while I did not give much thought to Mutti’s mysterious idea.

From Literature

At the top, I pull one of the bottles out of my belt and pretend I’m too preoccupied with drinking water to answer his question.

From Literature

Chinese strategists had described the first two decades of the century as a time of opportunity with the United States preoccupied in Afghanistan and Iraq, Stokes said.

From Barron's

Maybe I’m betraying my hopeless rationalism, but if I learned of the reality of time travel and “aerial spirits,” I’d be a little more preoccupied by it than Iris seems to be.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• absorbed
• bemused
• distracted
• engaged
• engrossed
• fascinated
• forgetful
• obsessed