ENGLISH
REFERENCE

absentmindedly

adv.
B2 Upper Intermediate UK //ˌæbsəntmˈaɪndɪdli// ab·sent·mind·ed·ly

adv. doing something without thinking about it or paying attention to what you are doing. You might do this when you are busy or distracted.

adv. performing an action without conscious thought or attention to the details of the task. Often used to describe habitual behaviors that occur automatically.


SIMPLE

He absentmindedly tapped his pen on the desk.

CONTEXTUAL

She absentmindedly opened the fridge and took out a bottle of milk without looking at the expiration date.

COMPLEX

The professor absentmindedly corrected a minor error in the lecture notes while simultaneously answering a student's question about the upcoming exam.

Synonyms
Origin

From absentminded + -ly.

© 2026 English Reference