absent-minded
An absent-minded professor searches for his glasses while they rest on his head.
Definition
- Adjective:
- Forgetful or inattentive: "absent-minded" describes a person who is so preoccupied with their own thoughts that they forget what they are doing or fail to pay attention to their surroundings.
- Prone to distraction: It indicates a tendency to be unaware of immediate events due to mental absorption elsewhere.
Usage Examples
- (She is forgetful due to distraction.)
- (The professor was inattentive because of deep thought.)
- (His lack of attention was noticeable.)
Advanced Usage
"to be absent-minded about something": to show forgetfulness regarding a specific matter.
- He was absent-minded about paying the bills this month. (He forgot to handle his financial obligations.)
"absent-minded moment": a brief period of forgetfulness.
- I had an absent-minded moment and put salt in my coffee instead of sugar. (A temporary lapse in attention.)
Variants and Related Words
Absent-mindedly (adverb): in a forgetful or distracted manner.
- She absent-mindedly chewed on her pen while thinking. (She did this without paying attention.)
Absent-mindedness (noun): the state or quality of being forgetful or inattentive.
- His chronic absent-mindedness caused him to miss several appointments. (His habitual distraction had negative consequences.)
Synonyms
- Forgetful: tending to forget things easily.
- Distracted: unable to concentrate because of worry or other thoughts.
- Preoccupied: absorbed in one's own thoughts or concerns.
Related Idioms
"To have one's head in the clouds": to be daydreaming or not paying attention to reality.
- He has his head in the clouds and never notices what is happening around him. (He is absent-minded and oblivious.)
"To be scatterbrained": to be disorganized and forgetful.
- She is too scatterbrained to keep track of her schedule. (She is habitually absent-minded.)