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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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
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
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
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
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for absentminded
Adjective
-
The guy who typically signs off on public statements may be a little preoccupied.—
Jennifer Zhan,
Vulture,
17 July 2025
-
To examine this, researchers analyzed data from over 700 young adults aged 18 to 30, comparing emotional regulation and dependence levels across three attachment styles: secure, preoccupied and dismissing.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
Adjective
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With modern cloud security infrastructure being relatively robust, humans, who can be lazy, forgetful and tired, are generally the weakest link.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
-
Rory McIlroy had a forgetful opening round at the U.S. Open.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2025
Adjective
-
Serious traffic crashes and deaths have risen sharply across the U.S., largely due to distracted driving.—
Jade Jackson,
IndyStar,
10 July 2025
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At the time, Twitter’s ad business was in trouble—and Tesla shareholders worried Musk was too distracted from his supposed main gig, running the automaker.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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The moment of truth arrived when Adams FaceTimed Phillips— initially confused and skeptical about her whereabouts.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
25 July 2025
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Ferguson said teammates are more confused than upset.—
Tim Graham,
New York Times,
24 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Absentminded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/absentminded. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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