take up our attention vs occupied our attention

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in slightly different contexts. 'Take up our attention' is commonly used to indicate that something is consuming or absorbing our focus, while 'occupied our attention' is also correct but less commonly used. The choice between the two depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Last updated: March 26, 2024 • 824 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate that something is consuming or absorbing our focus.

"take up our attention"

This phrase is used to express that something is occupying or absorbing our attention or focus.

Examples:

The new project has taken up all of our attention lately.
Her captivating speech took up the attention of the entire audience.
The urgent matter took up our attention for the entire day.
The unexpected news took up all of our attention.
The challenging puzzle took up our attention for hours.

Show examples from the web [+]

rapporteur. - Mr President, I shall only take up your attention very briefly.
And I think Rose and her young man will take up every scrap of attention we have for weddings.
Ladies and gentlemen, almost all of you have mentioned the Convention, which will take up a great deal of our attention as of 28 February.
Did you ever think that maybe she made this up to take the attention off of herself?
Where I believe we need to step up our efforts is on the proposals to focus our attention on human rights situations within the European Union itself.
We will do this by inspiring a new generation to take up our cause and undermine the very foundations set the Congress will be built on.
We will do this by inspiring a new generation to take up our cause.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
Take up our cause, and I promise you vengeance for your parents.
I'm sure we could all be that productive without Facebook or Twitter to take up our time.
Sadly, the House - unwisely, I have to say - did not take up our proposals.
If you did not take up our audit findings and translate them into action, the Court of Auditors would be like a knight without a sword.
The Council did not take up our proposal that the Commission should confine unannounced checks to urgent cases, in order to avoid delays.
If we are prepared to take up our own responsibilities in our own back yard, then we can achieve success.
Indeed, in my view, after almost three years of debate and negotiations, it is high time to take up our responsibility.
I hope that the report will be approved by Parliament and that the Commission will take up our suggestions.
How do you think you can... take up our fight?
I think that very sincerely, but I also think that we need, from time to time, to take up our own position on such matters as Somalia.
Hopefully, it will not be institutional issues that take up our time over the next decade, even though Václav Havel, being a true European hero, was prepared to take further steps right away.
The fact that it makes them look ridiculous, takes up our time and diverts us from dealing with really important issues that affect the everyday lives of European citizens obviously does not matter to them.

Alternatives:

captured our attention
engaged our attention
consumed our attention
absorbed our attention
held our attention

This phrase is correct but less commonly used compared to 'take up our attention'. It also conveys the idea of something holding our focus.

"occupied our attention"

This phrase is used to indicate that something has held or taken our attention.

Examples:

The thrilling movie occupied our attention for the entire evening.
The challenging task occupied our attention for hours.
The interesting book occupied our attention during the flight.
The beautiful scenery occupied our attention as we drove through the countryside.
The important discussion occupied our attention for a long time.

Show examples from the web [+]

Madam President, I too had not intended to take the floor, but this issue has now occupied our attention for three-quarters of an hour.
Mrs Schierhuber, I must admit that problems in this area of security are serious and have often occupied the Bureau's attention.
Then later my wife and farm occupied our time together.
We were out for two hours and someone occupied our house.
Mrs Palacio Vallelersundi touched on it, and I shall not repeat it here, because it occupied our committee for weeks.
His wife and children deserve our attention.
Because now another charade demands our attention.
That trumpet noise, getting our attention.
Many thanks for bringing this to our attention.
Furthermore, many international issues will demand our attention.
We must focus our attention on this.
The Commission also draws our attention to recipient countries.
Madam President, the Moluccas require our attention once again.
Topic number one - since it occupied our minds yet again this week, as the President-in-Office can testify - is the European Union's aid to ameliorate the damage caused by the catastrophic floods in Europe.
It's come to our attention that the D.A. has withheld discovery.
All right, Percy, you have our attention.
Now turning our attention to the weather...
He said they deserve our attention.
Based on striations, this injury to the ulna deserves our attention.
Thanks for bringing this to our attention.

Alternatives:

captivated our attention
engrossed our attention
absorbed our attention
held our attention
consumed our attention

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take up our attention vs occupied our attention