adj
Common
absorbed
ab-SAWRBD
Absorbed (adj) means Completely focused on something, to the exclusion of everything else. Example: “She sat absorbed in her book, unaware of the noise around her.”
adj
1
Completely focused on something, to the exclusion of everything else.
"She sat absorbed in her book, unaware of the noise around her."
"The absorbed child barely looked up from his jigsaw puzzle."
"He was so absorbed in the game he missed his stop."
2
Taken in or soaked up.
"The absorbed water made the sponge heavy and soft."
"Once absorbed, the medicine takes about an hour to work."
"Most of the rainfall was absorbed by the dry soil."
How to use absorbed
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither deeply engrossed in something mentally, or physically soaked/taken in.
Common pairings
absorbed in thought
fully absorbed
absorbed into
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like absorbed.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Comparative
- more absorbed
- Superlative
- most absorbed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She sat _____ in her book, unaware of the noise around her.
Etymology
The past participle of absorb, formed with the standard -ed ending.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “absorbed” mean?
The word “absorbed” means completely focused on something, to the exclusion of everything else. In plain terms, either deeply engrossed in something mentally, or physically soaked/taken in.
How do you pronounce “absorbed”?
“Absorbed” is pronounced ab-SAWRBD (/æbˈsɔɹbd/ in IPA).
How do you use “absorbed” in a sentence?
Here is “absorbed” used in a sentence: “He was so absorbed in the game he missed his stop.”
What part of speech is “absorbed”?
“Absorbed” is an adjective.
Is “absorbed” a common word?
“Absorbed” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “absorbed” have?
“Absorbed” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: completely focused on something, to the exclusion of everything else.
What is the difference between 'absorbed' and 'engrossed'?
Both describe being deeply focused on something and are often interchangeable. 'Engrossed' stresses that all of a person's attention is taken up, while 'absorbed' similarly means fully caught up in something, usually followed by 'in', as in 'absorbed in her work'.
What preposition follows 'absorbed'?
When 'absorbed' means deeply focused, it is followed by 'in', as in 'absorbed in a book'. When it means soaked up or taken in, it can take 'by' or 'into', as in 'the water was absorbed by the sponge'.
What is the difference between 'absorbed' and 'distracted'?
'Absorbed' and 'distracted' are near opposites when describing attention. Being absorbed means being completely focused on one thing, while being distracted means having your attention pulled away from what you were doing.
Is 'self-absorbed' the same as 'absorbed'?
No. 'Absorbed' on its own means deeply focused on something outside yourself, such as a task or a book. 'Self-absorbed' means preoccupied with your own thoughts and interests to the point of ignoring others, and it is usually meant as a criticism.
