· engage or engross the interest or attention of beforehand or occupy urgently or obsessively; "His work preoccupies him"; "The matter preoccupies her completely--she cannot think of anything else"

Hypernym(s): control, command

· occupy or take possession of beforehand or before another or appropriate for use in advance; "the army preoccupied the hills"

Hypernym(s): assume, usurp, seize, take_over, arrogate

· deeply absorbed in thought; "as distant and bemused as a professor listening to the prattling of his freshman class"; "lost in thought"; "a preoccupied frown"

Synonym(s): bemused, lost

· having or showing excessive or compulsive concern with something; "became more and more haunted by the stupid riddle"; "was absolutely obsessed with the girl"; "got no help from his wife who was preoccupied with the children"; "he was taken up in worry for the old woman"

Synonym(s): haunted, obsessed, taken_up