medium
Kai was preoccupied with the upcoming test and forgot his lunchbox.
What does Preoccupied mean?
Preoccupied means thinking so much about one thing that it is hard to notice other things.
Dictionary definition
Thinking so much about one thing that it is hard to notice other things.
Example sentences
Preoccupied in a sentence
Writing practice
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Quick practice
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Practice the meaning of Preoccupied
Answer three quick questions about its meaning and related words.
Question 1 of 3
Practice 1
What does preoccupied mean?
Preoccupied means thinking so much about one thing that it is hard to notice other things.
Practice 2
Which word is closest in meaning to preoccupied?
Distracted is close in meaning to preoccupied in this context.
Practice 3
Which sentence best shows someone feeling preoccupied?
This sentence gives clues that show the meaning of preoccupied.
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Preoccupied
Voice settings
Sounds like
pree · ok · yuh · pide · strongest beat: ok
Tap each sound part, then blend the whole word together.
Learn
WordPreoccupied.
Partadjective.
MeaningPreoccupied means thinking so much about one thing that it is hard to notice other things.
ExampleExample: Kai was preoccupied with the upcoming test and forgot his lunchbox.
Word breakdown
4 syllables. Say each part, then blend the word.
- Syllables
- pree · ok · yuh · pide
- Strongest beat
- ok
- Ending
- pide
- Tip
- Put a little extra energy on ok.
Your turn
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Synonyms
Words like Preoccupied
distractedUse when someone's attention is pulled away.
Antonyms
Opposite words
focusedUse when someone gives clear attention to one thing on purpose.
Synonym practice
Want to practice preoccupied synonyms in context? Try a Synonym Search question like "Nora seemed preoccupied and missed the question," then compare close word choices. Practice preoccupied synonyms.
Word family
Preoccupied word family
Base word
preoccupy
noun
preoccupation
A thought that takes up much attention.
Related words
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Student support
Understand Preoccupied
Hint for students
Look for clues that show someone's mind is busy with one thought.
Common mix-up
Preoccupied is not the same as lazy; it means attention is taken up.
Try it in class or at home
Read the model sentence and underline the clue words that show the feeling or trait. Then write a new sentence that shows preoccupied without using the word preoccupied.
Teacher prompt
Ask students to explain this model sentence: "Kai was preoccupied with the upcoming test and forgot his lunchbox." What clues show what preoccupied means?
Word category
Explore more feelings words
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Learning activities
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