1
as in preoccupied
lost in thought and unaware of one's surroundings or actions
the grieving woman was so absentminded that she left her key in the lock after opening the door
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in forgetful
inclined to forget what one has learned or to do what one should
an absentminded aunt who some years sends me two birthday checks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of absentminded
The little boy went to school but was absent-minded, always hunched over books and filling the pages with endless drawings.
—
Elena Banfi, Vanity Fair, 19 Jan. 2026
Travelers are becoming more absent-minded, and experts are struggling to understand why.
—Wilson Santiago Burgos, USA Today, 7 Jan. 2026
Though Melanie was no doubt left feeling guilty at making the mistake, she can be forgiven for being a little absent-minded, given that she in the throes of being a new parent.
—Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025
Police always investigate a drowning to rule out cases of abuse or extreme neglect, but an absent-minded parent accidentally forgetting to lock the pool gate or door to the backyard was unlikely to land them behind bars, Hoskin said.
—Perry Vandell, AZCentral.com, 16 July 2025
For absent-minded individuals who are constantly losing their phone or wallet, the Apple AirTag will save the day.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 8 July 2025
O'Brien returns to lend his voice to Lawrence Fletcher, Ferb's sweet but absent-minded dad.
—EW.com, 7 June 2025
Ludwig Von Drake Ludwig Von Drake is the wise and eccentric professor who is known to be brilliant, but sometimes an absent-minded scientist and inventor.
—Lauryn Higgins, Parents, 12 Mar. 2025
The French might be sad if Emily leaves, but Americans in Paris wouldn’t shed any tears; many of them have had enough of the Chicago native’s absent-minded cultural blunders.
—Colette Davidson, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 Oct. 2024
Elena Banfi, Vanity Fair, 19 Jan. 2026
Travelers are becoming more absent-minded, and experts are struggling to understand why.
—Wilson Santiago Burgos, USA Today, 7 Jan. 2026
Though Melanie was no doubt left feeling guilty at making the mistake, she can be forgiven for being a little absent-minded, given that she in the throes of being a new parent.
—Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025
Police always investigate a drowning to rule out cases of abuse or extreme neglect, but an absent-minded parent accidentally forgetting to lock the pool gate or door to the backyard was unlikely to land them behind bars, Hoskin said.
—Perry Vandell, AZCentral.com, 16 July 2025
For absent-minded individuals who are constantly losing their phone or wallet, the Apple AirTag will save the day.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 8 July 2025
O'Brien returns to lend his voice to Lawrence Fletcher, Ferb's sweet but absent-minded dad.
—EW.com, 7 June 2025
Ludwig Von Drake Ludwig Von Drake is the wise and eccentric professor who is known to be brilliant, but sometimes an absent-minded scientist and inventor.
—Lauryn Higgins, Parents, 12 Mar. 2025
The French might be sad if Emily leaves, but Americans in Paris wouldn’t shed any tears; many of them have had enough of the Chicago native’s absent-minded cultural blunders.
—Colette Davidson, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for absentminded
Adjective
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Across multiple studies, the participants who disclosed their vulnerabilities became preoccupied with how they were perceived afterward.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
16 Jan. 2026
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The organization aims to bring together lovers of men’s fashion and tailoring, to promote more elevated dressing to the public, particularly those who have become preoccupied with athleisure, organizers say.—
Lucy Maguire,
Vogue,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The company designed the ring not for the peace of mind of forgetful people like me but because, Oura says, one in 10 users have already bought a spare charger, perhaps so there’s always one your desk at work, for instance.—
David Phelan,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
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Now 82 years old, Chase comes off as a surly, forgetful man.—
Rick Kogan,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
One of the impacts of the terminations was that instead of guiding my lab towards the studies to prevent or treat cancer, I’ve been extremely distracted by efforts to try to raise money to support the lab.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
23 Jan. 2026
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Many people are just so distracted by their screens and scrolling they nosh at a faster pace.—
Jamie Friedlander Serrano,
Time,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Goedert scored his second touchdown on a fourth-and-2 leaving a confused Malik Mustapha behind him in the left flat.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
12 Jan. 2026
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Yet many of its citizens feel both whiplashed and confused.—
Margaret Talbot,
New Yorker,
11 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Absentminded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/absentminded. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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