Absorbed — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /əb-ˈsȯrbd/ ab·sorbed

Meaning & Definition of Absorbed

Absorbed (adjective)

  1. having one's attention wholly engaged or occupied

Absorbed (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. having the mind fixed on something

    "Lori was so absorbed in her book that she didn't hear the bell ring"

    similar: attentive, deep, engrossed, enthralled, focused, immersed, intent, observant, rapt, all ears
    related: engaged, interested, intrigued, involved, hypnotized, mesmerized, alert, alive, conscious, open-eyed, watchful, wide-awake
    opposite: absent, absentminded, abstracted, distracted, inattentive, inobservant, unabsorbed, unfocused
    near: daydreaming, dreamy, faraway, foggy, hazy, lost, oblivious, preoccupied, remote, apathetic, disinterested, uninterested

Absorbed (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to take in (something liquid) through small openings

    "most of the spilled water was absorbed by the tablecloth"

    similar: drank, imbibed, soaked (up), sponged, sucked (up), took up
    related: gulped, guzzled, quaffed, sipped, slurped, swallowed, swigged, swilled

  2. to hold the attention of

    "chatting on the phone doesn't absorb me so much that I can't do something else at the same time"

    similar: bemused, busied, caught up, engaged, engrossed, enthralled, enwrapped, fascinated, gripped, immersed, interested, intrigued, involved, occupied, caught one's eye
    related: allured, attracted, beguiled, bewitched, captivated, charmed, enchanted, obsessed, hypnotized, mesmerized, distracted, preoccupied, hogged, monopolized
    near: bored, jaded, palled, tired, wearied

  3. to make a part of a body or system

    "local schools will seek to absorb the new immigrants into the regular curriculum as quickly as possible"

    similar: assimilated, co-opted, embodied, incorporated, integrated
    related: amalgamated, blended, combined, commingled, fused, intermingled, merged, mingled, acculturated, accustomed, conditioned, enculturated, habituated, naturalized

  4. to make complete use of

    "cleaning the house absorbed the rest of his energy"

    similar: burned, consumed, depleted, devoured, drained, drew down, exhausted, expended, played out, spent, used up, ran out of
    related: abated, decreased, de-escalated, diminished, downsized, dwindled, lessened, lowered, reduced, ate, used, bankrupted, cleaned (out), impoverished, crippled, debilitated, disabled, enfeebled, sapped, undermined, weakened, dried up, emptied, blew, dissipated, frittered (away), guzzled, lavished, misspent, ran through, squandered, threw away, wasted
    opposite: renewed, replaced
    near: augmented, enlarged, increased, bolstered, enforced, fortified, reinforced, strengthened, rebuilt, repaired, restored, revived, conserved, preserved, saved

  5. to put up with (something painful or difficult)

    "somehow she managed to absorb whatever hardships life offered"

    similar: abided, accepted, bode (chiefly dialect), bore, brooked, countenanced, endured, hacked, handled, met, pocketed, stomached, stood, stuck out, supported, sustained, sweat out, tolerated, took, went, wore (British), lived with, lumped (it), stood for, toughed it out
    related: allowed, permitted, suffered, swallowed, reconciled (to), acquiesced, agreed (with or to), assented (to), capitulated, consented (to), respected, submitted (to), yielded (to)
    near: declined, dismissed, refused, rejected, repudiated, spurned, turned down, combated, contested, fought, opposed, resisted, avoided, bypassed, circumvented, dodged, eluded, escaped, evaded, missed, abstained (from), forbore, refrained (from)

Related Entry: Absorb (verb)

Absorb is a different word from Absorbed. The synonyms below are for absorb, not for absorbed.

  1. to take in (something liquid) through small openings

    "most of the spilled water was absorbed by the tablecloth"

    similar: drink, imbibe, soak (up), sponge, suck (up), take up
    related: gulp, guzzle, quaff, sip, slurp, swallow, swig, swill

  2. to hold the attention of

    "chatting on the phone doesn't absorb me so much that I can't do something else at the same time"

    similar: bemuse, busy, catch up, engage, engross, enthrall, enwrap, fascinate, grip, immerse, interest, intrigue, involve, occupy, catch one's eye
    related: allure, attract, beguile, bewitch, captivate, charm, enchant, obsess, hypnotize, mesmerize, distract, preoccupy, hog, monopolize
    near: bore, jade, pall, tire, weary

  3. to make a part of a body or system

    "local schools will seek to absorb the new immigrants into the regular curriculum as quickly as possible"

    similar: assimilate, co-opt, embody, incorporate, integrate
    related: amalgamate, blend, combine, commingle, fuse, intermingle, merge, mingle, acculturate, accustom, condition, enculturate, habituate, naturalize

  4. to make complete use of

    "cleaning the house absorbed the rest of his energy"

    similar: burn, consume, deplete, devour, drain, draw down, exhaust, expend, play out, spend, use up, run out of
    related: abate, decrease, de-escalate, diminish, downsize, dwindle, lessen, lower, reduce, eat, use, bankrupt, clean (out), impoverish, cripple, debilitate, disable, enfeeble, sap, undermine, weaken, dry up, empty, blow, dissipate, fritter (away), guzzle, lavish, misspend, run through, squander, throw away, waste
    opposite: renew, replace
    near: augment, enlarge, increase, bolster, enforce, fortify, reinforce, strengthen, rebuild, repair, restore, revive, conserve, preserve, save

  5. to put up with (something painful or difficult)

    "somehow she managed to absorb whatever hardships life offered"

    similar: abide, accept, bear, bide (chiefly dialect), brook, countenance, endure, go, hack, handle, meet, pocket, stand, stick out, stomach, support, sustain, sweat out, take, tolerate, wear (British), live with, lump (it), stand for, tough it out
    related: allow, permit, suffer, swallow, reconcile (to), acquiesce, agree (with or to), assent (to), capitulate, consent (to), respect, submit (to), yield (to)
    near: decline, dismiss, refuse, reject, repudiate, spurn, turn down, combat, contest, fight, oppose, resist, avoid, bypass, circumvent, dodge, elude, escape, evade, miss, abstain (from), forbear, refrain (from)

Related Entry: Self-absorbed (adjective)

Self-absorbed is a different word from Absorbed. The synonyms below are for self-absorbed, not for absorbed.

  1. overly concerned with one's own desires, needs, or interests

    "a self-absorbed man who seems utterly oblivious to the social problems of his own urban neighborhood"

    similar: egocentric, egoistic, egomaniacal, egotistic, narcissistic, self-centered, self-concerned, self-infatuated, self-interested, self-involved, self-loving, self-obsessed, self-oriented, self-preoccupied, self-regarding, self-seeking, self-serving, selfish, solipsistic
    related: inner-directed, complacent, conceited, overweening, pompous, prideful, proud, self-complacent, self-conceited, self-contented, self-directed, self-glorifying, self-important, self-indulgent, self-opinionated, self-pleased, self-satisfied, smug, vain, vainglorious
    opposite: self-forgetful, self-forgetting, selfless, unselfish
    near: altruistic, beneficent, benevolent, charitable, generous, greathearted, humanitarian, magnanimous, philanthropic, self-denying, self-giving, self-sacrificing, other-directed, diffident, self-doubting, self-flagellating, self-questioning, self-reflective

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Absorbed

The most common words with a similar meaning to Absorbed:

Chiefly dialect: bode
British: wore
attentive, deep, engrossed, enthralled, focused, immersed, intent, observant, rapt, all ears, drank, imbibed, soaked (up), sponged, sucked (up), took up, bemused, busied, caught up, engaged, enwrapped, fascinated, gripped, interested, intrigued, involved, occupied, assimilated, co-opted, embodied, incorporated, integrated, burned, consumed, depleted, devoured, drained, drew down, exhausted, expended

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Absorbed

Words with the opposite meaning of Absorbed:

absent, absentminded, abstracted, distracted, inattentive, inobservant, unabsorbed, unfocused, renewed, replaced

Related Words for Absorbed

hypnotized, mesmerized, alert, alive, conscious, open-eyed, watchful, wide-awake, gulped, guzzled, quaffed, sipped, slurped, swallowed, swigged, swilled, allured, attracted, beguiled, bewitched, captivated, charmed, enchanted, obsessed, distracted, preoccupied, hogged, monopolized, amalgamated, blended

Near Antonyms of Absorbed

daydreaming, dreamy, faraway, foggy, hazy, lost, oblivious, preoccupied, remote, apathetic, disinterested, uninterested, bored, jaded, palled, tired, wearied, augmented, enlarged, increased, bolstered, enforced, fortified, reinforced, strengthened, rebuilt, repaired, restored, revived, conserved

Word Forms of Absorbed

Derived words: absorbedly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Absorbed

First known use: 1722

Words & Phrases Containing Absorbed

self-absorbed

Frequently Asked Questions about Absorbed

What does "Absorbed" mean?

"Absorbed" means having one's attention wholly engaged or occupied. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: having one's attention wholly engaged or occupied. It has 6 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Absorbed"?

Other words for "Absorbed" include attentive, deep, engrossed, enthralled, focused, immersed, intent and observant. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Absorbed" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Absorbed"?

There are 156 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Absorbed". Common alternatives include attentive, deep, engrossed, enthralled, focused, immersed, intent, observant, rapt and all ears.

What is the opposite of "Absorbed"?

Antonyms of "Absorbed" include absent, absentminded, abstracted, distracted, inattentive, inobservant, unabsorbed and unfocused. Near antonyms include daydreaming, dreamy, faraway and foggy.

How do you use "Absorbed" in a sentence?

Examples of "Absorbed" in a sentence: "Lori was so absorbed in her book that she didn't hear the bell ring"; "most of the spilled water was absorbed by the tablecloth"; "chatting on the phone doesn't absorb me so much that I can't do something else at the same time".

Is "Absorbed" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Absorbed" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Absorbed"?

"Absorbed" is pronounced /əb-ˈsȯrbd/ and divided into syllables as ab·sorbed.

What is the origin of the word "Absorbed"?

First known use: 1722.