[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/preoccupied/)

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# preoccupied

adjective; verb form (past of preoccupy: preoccupy, preoccupies, preoccupied, preoccupying)

«preoccupied» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Thinking so much about one thing, often a worry, that you do not notice what is around you: «She looked preoccupied.» [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preoccupied/#m1)
2. (verb, past) Filled someone's mind: «The problem preoccupied him all week.» [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preoccupied/#m2)

### In the lessons

In stories it shows a character who is distracted or worried, so they miss clues or ignore friends. In everyday life a preoccupied parent may not hear you. Phrases: «preoccupied with», «seem preoccupied», «too preoccupied to».

### Examples

- Mum seemed preoccupied and did not hear my question. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preoccupied/#x1)
- He was too preoccupied with his game to eat dinner. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preoccupied/#x2)
- The detective was preoccupied with the missing key. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preoccupied/#x3)
- She stared out of the window, preoccupied. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preoccupied/#x4)
- Money worries preoccupied the family all winter. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preoccupied/#x5)
- I was so preoccupied that I put the milk in the cupboard. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preoccupied/#x6)

### Note

Use «preoccupied with» (not «about»). It is close to «distracted» and «absorbed». Noun: preoccupation. Spelling: double c, single p in the middle: pre-oc-cu-pied.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «preoccupied» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preoccupied/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«preoccupied» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/preoccupied.html) on Mova free.