as in daydreaming
the state of being lost in thought
my woolgathering was abruptly interrupted by a question from the flight attendant
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Recent Examples of woolgathering
Today, woolgathering sounds harmless – one wanders contentedly among the hedgerows.
—
Melissa Mohr, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 July 2022
All this woolgathering about AGAD has inspired me to fire up the Idea Oven again for old time’s sake.
—Eric Zorn, chicagotribune.com, 30 Apr. 2021
Melissa Mohr, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 July 2022
All this woolgathering about AGAD has inspired me to fire up the Idea Oven again for old time’s sake.
—Eric Zorn, chicagotribune.com, 30 Apr. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for woolgathering
Noun
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Filmmaking is blind instinct, petty calculations, smooth generalship, daydreaming, pig-headedness, grace, bluff, risk.—
Susan Sontag,
Vogue,
26 Oct. 2025
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The colorful flowers are perfect for a photo-op or casual daydreaming.—
Paige Moore,
AZCentral.com,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The floating objects, trance communications, phantom touches, miraculous healings, and poltergeist writings that followed in the five decades after Mona’s death were attributed to her and a pantheon of other notable spirits, including Black Elk.—
Shannon Taggart,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2026
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In other words, the age-old trance of acceptance has broken, and there are suddenly too many entrepreneurs capturing disaffected audiences by accusing legacy institutions of corruption and cowardice.—
Sean Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Woolgathering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/woolgathering. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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