Preoccupied

Pronunciation: /priˈɑkjupaɪd/

Definitions of preoccupied

adjective Preoccupied is an adjective that describes someone who is completely absorbed in their thoughts or activities, often to the exclusion of everything else.

Example Sentences

A1 She was preoccupied with her phone and didn't notice the time.

A2 The children were preoccupied with their game and didn't hear their mother calling them.

B1 He seemed preoccupied with thoughts of his upcoming exam.

B2 The CEO was preoccupied with the company's financial performance.

C1 Despite being preoccupied with his own work, he always made time to help his colleagues.

C2 The scientist was preoccupied with solving the complex problem that had stumped his peers.

Examples of preoccupied in a Sentence

formal She was preoccupied with the details of the upcoming project.

informal He seemed preoccupied with something on his mind.

slang She was too preoccupied to even notice what was going on around her.

figurative His mind was preoccupied with thoughts of the past.

Grammatical Forms of preoccupied

• past tense: preoccupied
• plural: preoccupied
• comparative: more preoccupied
• superlative: most preoccupied
• present tense: preoccupy
• future tense: will preoccupy
• perfect tense: have preoccupied
• continuous tense: is preoccupying
• singular: preoccupied
• positive degree: preoccupied
• infinitive: to preoccupy
• gerund: preoccupying
• participle: preoccupied

Origin and Evolution of preoccupied

First Known Use: 1601 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'preoccupied' originates from the Latin word 'praeoccupare', which means to seize beforehand or to occupy before others.

Evolution of the word: Initially used to describe being mentally absorbed or engrossed in thought, the word 'preoccupied' has evolved to also mean being distracted or worried about something, often to the point of neglecting other things.