# absorbed

/əbˈzɔɹbd/ (US) · /ɐbsˈɔːbd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/absorbed
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. very interested

adjective · CEFR B2

giving all your attention to something because it is very interesting.

For teachers: fully occupied with one's thoughts or activities; deeply engrossed in a subject or task.

- She was so absorbed in her novel that she didn't hear the doorbell ring.
- The researchers were so absorbed in the data analysis that they failed to notice the time passing, eventually working well into the night.

Usage: Usually follows the verb 'to be' and takes the preposition 'in'.

### 2. taken in

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

taken in or soaked up by something else.

For teachers: having been taken in, assimilated, or incorporated into a larger whole or substance.

- The spilled water was quickly absorbed by the thick paper towel.
- The nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream through the walls of the small intestine during the digestion process.

Usage: Often used with the prepositions 'by' or 'into'.

## Examples

- She was so absorbed in her book that she missed her stop.
- The children were completely absorbed in their drawing and didn't hear their mother call them for dinner.
- The researcher remained so deeply absorbed in the data analysis that the passage of several hours went entirely unnoticed until the office lights automatically dimmed.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.