absorbed
/əb'sɔ:bd/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Fully engaged; having one's attention completely occupied: Describes a state of being so focused on something that one is unaware of other things.
- Taken in or soaked up (of a liquid, gas, or energy): Describes something that has been taken into something else, often physically.
Usage
- As an adjective describing mental focus: Used to describe a person who is completely engrossed in an activity, thought, or subject.
- As an adjective describing a physical process: Used to describe a substance that has been taken up or assimilated by another.
Examples
- Describing mental focus:
- She was so absorbed in her book that she didn't hear the doorbell.
- The students were absorbed in the fascinating science experiment.
- Describing a physical process:
- The sponge quickly became absorbed with water.
- Plants use their roots to take in absorbed nutrients from the soil.
Advanced Usage
- "to be absorbed in thought": To be deeply thinking about something, often to the exclusion of one's surroundings.
- He sat by the window, absorbed in thought about the future.
- "to be absorbed by/into something": To be fully taken over or assimilated by a larger entity (often used figuratively).
- The small company was absorbed by a large multinational corporation.
Variants and Related Words
- Absorb (verb): To take in or soak up; to engross the attention of.
- The fabric can absorb a lot of liquid.
- The movie absorbed the audience completely.
- Absorbing (adjective): Extremely interesting; engrossing.
- It was an absorbing mystery novel.
- Absorption (noun): The process of being absorbed; complete mental engagement.
- The absorption of nutrients is vital.
- Her total absorption in her work is impressive.
Synonyms
- Engrossed: Having all one's attention or interest taken up.
- Rapt: Completely fascinated or absorbed.
- Preoccupied: Engrossed in thought; distracted.
- Assimilated: Taken in and integrated.
Antonyms
- Distracted: Unable to concentrate because one's mind is on other things.
- Inattentive: Not paying attention.
- Reflected (in the physical sense): Thrown back, not taken in.
Related Phrases
- Absorbed cost (Business/Accounting): A cost that has been allocated to a product or department.
- The absorbed costs were higher than anticipated.
- Self-absorbed: Excessively focused on oneself and one's own affairs.
- He was too self-absorbed to notice her feelings.
Adjective
- retained without reflection
- the absorbed light intensity
- giving or marked by complete attention to
- that engrossed look or rapt delight
- then wrapped in dreams
- so intent on this fantastic...narrative that she hardly stirred- Walter de la Mare
- rapt with wonder
- wrapped in thought