preoccupied with playing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "preoccupied with playing" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe someone who is so absorbed in playing that they are unable to focus on other tasks or responsibilities. Example: "She was preoccupied with playing her favorite video game, completely ignoring the time."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

After all, the buck stopped at his desk as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), and he was apparently too busy to address that horrible reality since he was so preoccupied with playing the 20th century Torquemada, hounding and silencing the voices of justice, generosity, intelligence and creativity among theologians and pastoral leaders.

Huffington Post

"I'm too preoccupied with playing," he admits.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Are Americans preoccupied with work?

The New Yorker

He is eager to return to that work, but for the present he is preoccupied with "The Play About the Baby".

The New York Times

This is what friends are for when he is preoccupied with a play.

The New York Times

But back to Thanksgiving -- the "nightmare," he called it, because he had invited 10 friends and was preoccupied with the play.

The New York Times

Vice President-elect Cheney is almost certain to play an important role in defense issues, especially since his former mentor, Donald Rumsfeld, has been nominated to head the Pentagon; but Cheney may be too preoccupied with Congress to play a major role in formulating foreign policy.

The New York Times - Magazine

The immediate repercussions of the crash, in a week when Europe is preoccupied with Greece, have largely played out inside China.

The Guardian - Opinion

Jeff Daniels plays the hard-faced Nasa chief, preoccupied with the bottom line; Chiwetel Ejiofor plays frowningly preoccupied director of Mars missions Vincent Kapoor, Sean Bean is flight director Mitch Sanderson, and Benedict Wong is the stressed tech supremo Bruce Ng.

The Guardian - Film

The clearest literary influence on Brave New World can be intuited from the title, which comes from a line in William Shakespeare's The Tempest, a play preoccupied with what it means to build a new society.

Britannica

Perhaps it's because I've just finished the Netflix series Stranger Things that I'm preoccupied with different yet co-existent realities, playing out on different planes simultaneously.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "preoccupied with playing" to emphasize that someone is so focused on playing that they may be neglecting other responsibilities or concerns. It's stronger than simply saying they enjoy playing.

Common error

While "preoccupied with playing" is grammatically correct, it can sound somewhat informal. In formal writing, consider alternatives like "engrossed in playing" or "absorbed in playing" for a more professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "preoccupied with playing" functions as an adjectival phrase, modifying a noun or pronoun to describe a state of being deeply absorbed or engrossed in the act of playing. Ludwig indicates that the phrase is grammatically sound and usable in English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "preoccupied with playing" correctly describes someone deeply engrossed in playing. Although grammatically correct, according to Ludwig, its usage is relatively rare and primarily found in News & Media contexts. While acceptable, writers should consider alternatives like "engrossed in" or "absorbed in" for more formal situations. The key takeaway is to emphasize the complete focus and potential distraction caused by the activity of playing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

engrossed in playing

Replaces "preoccupied" with "engrossed", indicating complete absorption.

absorbed in playing

Similar to "engrossed", suggesting a state of being completely focused on the activity.

focused on playing

Emphasizes concentration on the act of playing.

immersed in playing

Suggests a deep and thorough involvement in playing.

lost in playing

Implies a state of being so engrossed that one loses track of time or surroundings.

consumed with playing

Implies that playing dominates one's thoughts and time.

caught up in playing

Indicates being deeply involved and perhaps distracted by the activity.

wrapped up in playing

Similar to "caught up in", implying a sense of being enveloped by the activity.

obsessed with playing

Suggests an excessive and potentially unhealthy fixation on playing.

taken up with playing

Indicates that playing occupies a significant portion of one's time and attention.

FAQs

What does "preoccupied with playing" mean?

It means that someone is so absorbed in playing that their thoughts and attention are mainly focused on it, potentially to the exclusion of other things.

How can I use "preoccupied with playing" in a sentence?

You might say, "He was so "preoccupied with playing" video games that he forgot to do his homework."

What are some alternatives to "preoccupied with playing"?

You can use alternatives such as "engrossed in playing", "absorbed in playing", or "focused on playing", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "preoccupied to play" instead of "preoccupied with playing"?

No, "preoccupied to play" is not grammatically correct. The correct construction is "preoccupied with playing", where "with" is a preposition and "playing" is a gerund.