ABSENTMINDEDNESS Synonyms: 28 Similar Words

absentmindedness

noun

as in preoccupation

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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 absentmindedness After the shopping trip, Kyle is FaceTiming with Boz about Dorit’s spending, her absentmindedness, and her inability to be on time, as if any of this is new. — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026 Some of her absentmindedness in that situation can be attributed to the sleep deprivation that accompanies life as new parent. — Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025 Poppy might have learned his lesson after the first one, but absentmindedness is strong in our gene pool. — Maggie Shipstead, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 July 2021

Recent Examples of Synonyms for absentmindedness

Noun

His output more closely resembles that of an old studio film director’s than of a typical contemporary literary novelist, with certain themes and preoccupations reappearing across books of otherwise disparate subject matter.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
Advertisement America’s preoccupation with the war on terror did squander its unipolar decade.

— Faisal Devji, Time, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of preoccupation

Noun

Fiber helps slow the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, while the fat and protein in peanut butter further slow digestion.

— Sarah Jividen, Verywell Health, 8 Oct. 2026
Researchers have investigated oral films as a potential delivery platform for peptides, although achieving reliable absorption and bioavailability remains a significant challenge, according to 2026 research.

— Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of absorption

Noun

One of Lichtenstein’s takes on Monet in this show features the cathedral buried beneath a matrix of black dots set atop a deep blue background, in what may count as an allusion to Ad Reinhardt’s blue-on-blue abstractions of the ’50s.

— Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 7 Oct. 2026
The other songs play out at a higher level of abstraction and metaphor.

— Sean Wilentz, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of abstraction

Noun

In 2017, psychologist Eli Susman was on a meditation retreat at the Plum Village mindfulness center in southern France.

— Gili Malinsky, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026
Our two-bedroom villa was typical, with a meditation terrace on the roof and its own serene lily pond for meditating.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of meditation

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absentminded

absentmindedness

absent oneself

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“Absentmindedness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/absentmindedness. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of absentmindedness

noun

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