ENGLISH
REFERENCE

preoccupied

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //pɹiˈɑkjəˌpaɪd// UK //pɹɪˈɒkjʊpˌaɪd// pre·oc·cu·pied Archaic

adj. thinking or worrying about something so much that you do not pay attention to other things. You might look distracted or busy because your mind is elsewhere.

adj. engrossed in thought or distracted by a particular concern to the exclusion of other matters. Often used predicatively after linking verbs such as 'seem', 'look', or 'appear'.


SIMPLE

She seemed preoccupied and didn't hear my question.

CONTEXTUAL

The manager was too preoccupied with the upcoming audit to notice the morale issues within the team.

COMPLEX

While he tried to focus on the lecture, he remained visibly preoccupied by the news he had received earlier that morning, frequently checking his phone for updates.

Synonyms
Usage

Typically takes the preposition 'with' or 'by' to indicate the cause of distraction.

Pitfall

He was preoccupied in his work.He was preoccupied with his work.Preoccupied is followed by 'with' or 'by' rather than 'in' when describing the object of focus.

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