take up our attention vs occupy our attention

Both phrases are correct and can be used interchangeably. They both mean to engage or hold someone's attention. There is no significant difference in meaning between the two phrases.

Last updated: March 26, 2024 • 1086 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"take up our attention"

This phrase means to engage or hold someone's attention. It is used when something is absorbing or consuming one's focus.

Examples:

The new movie took up our attention for the entire evening.
The challenging puzzle took up our attention for hours.
Her captivating speech took up our attention.
The interesting book took up our attention during the flight.
The beautiful artwork took up our attention at the gallery.

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:

occupy our attention
capture our attention
hold our attention
engage our attention
attract our attention

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"occupy our attention"

This phrase also means to engage or hold someone's attention. It is used when something is absorbing or consuming one's focus.

Examples:

The thrilling movie occupied our attention for the entire evening.
The fascinating lecture occupied our attention.
The intense game occupied our attention.
The beautiful scenery occupied our attention during the hike.
The intriguing mystery novel occupied our attention.

Show examples from the web [+]

I shall do my best to occupy his attention.
Lots of fun stuff to occupy your short attention span.
I do recall we found some pleasant ways to occupy our time.
You mean to occupy our home.
No, we fight them because they occupy our lands.
No, I mean I will soon be apart from you and I can think of many better things to occupy our time with.
That is an issue which constantly occupies our minds in the European Union as well.
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.
You can bomb us, starve us, occupy our holy places, but we will never lose our faith.
You're going to occupy our house?
We need to be able to occupy our rightful place as the EU to ensure our voice is heard clearly as we deal with the many problems in our contemporary world.
It's come to our attention that the D.A. has withheld discovery.
All right, Percy, you have our attention.

Alternatives:

take up our attention
capture our attention
hold our attention
engage our attention
attract our attention

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take up our attention vs occupy our attention