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Synonym Chooser

How is the word absentminded distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of absentminded are absent, abstracted, distracted, and preoccupied. While all these words mean "inattentive to what claims or demands consideration," absentminded implies that the mind is fixed elsewhere and often refers to a habit of abstractedness.

so absentminded, he's been known to wear mismatched shoes

Where would absent be a reasonable alternative to absentminded?

The words absent and absentminded are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, absent stresses inability to fix the mind on present concerns due more to mental wandering than to concentration on other matters.

an absent stare

When can abstracted be used instead of absentminded?

While in some cases nearly identical to absentminded, abstracted implies absorption of the mind in something other than one's surroundings, and often suggests reflection on weighty matters.

walking about with an abstracted air

When could distracted be used to replace absentminded?

The meanings of distracted and absentminded largely overlap; however, distracted may suggest an inability to concentrate caused by worry, sorrow, or anxiety.

was too distracted by grief to continue working

In what contexts can preoccupied take the place of absentminded?

While the synonyms preoccupied and absentminded are close in meaning, preoccupied often implies having one's attention so taken up by thoughts as to neglect others.

too preoccupied with her debts to enjoy the meal

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of absentminded 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 Your nails go through a lot: handwashing, polishing, maybe some absent-minded picking (guilty). Jessica Kasparian, SELF, 25 Feb. 2025 For Walton, Candide represents an innocent, sometimes absent-minded, young individual who doesn’t know anything about the world—or really that much about himself. Miguel Sirgado, Miami Herald, 6 Jan. 2025 That rule is forgiving to absent-minded voters, but slows tallying because those ballots still need to go through signature checks and other processes. Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 2 Dec. 2024 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
  • What's popular is appearing preoccupied, too busy scrolling on one's phone to look around—and too caught up with one's many friends to make any new ones at a mall.
    Annabelle Canela, Parents, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Jihan peers closer at these images, now sensing in some of them that her father seems preoccupied, as if already aware of the tragic fate that would befall him.
    Leila Latif, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The third company is plagued with bad luck, with either a forgetful lead singer or slip-ups in choreography.
    Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2025
  • Audiences at the pop star's Forget Tomorrow World Tour, are worried the singer's 50-city stretch is just that, forgetful.
    Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 30 July 2025
Adjective
  • The Lincoln Nautilus is an underappreciated contender in the luxury midsize SUV market, part of a brand that seems tired, itself part of an automaker that seems perpetually distracted, itself part of an automotive ecosystem that is awash in luxury midsize SUVs from very, very tough competitors.
    Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 2 Sep. 2025
  • In 1980, when Iraq’s president, Saddam Hussein, seized oil fields on the Iranian border, under the assumption that Iran was too distracted to object, Iran saw an opportunity to pivot to fighting external enemies.
    Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • While his wife and daughter build a new life in Vienna, Roman stays behind — confused, restless and convinced that things will get better.
    Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
  • With nearby MPs training their guns on her, Ziva laid down her weapon and sprawled across the blacktop, looking up at a confused Tali.
    Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 4 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Absentminded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/absentminded. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

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