ENGLISH
REFERENCE

absorbing

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //əbˈzɔɹbɪŋ// UK //ɐbsˈɔːbɪŋ// ab·sorb·ing

adj. so interesting or exciting that it takes all your attention. You use this to describe a book, movie, or task that makes you forget about everything else.

adj. holding one's attention or interest completely; engrossing. Often used as a participial adjective to describe media, hobbies, or intellectual pursuits.


SIMPLE

The novel was so absorbing that I missed my train stop.

CONTEXTUAL

She found the data analysis so absorbing that she worked through her lunch break without noticing the time.

COMPLEX

The documentary provides an absorbing account of the architectural shifts in post-war Europe, blending personal testimony with rigorous historical analysis to keep the viewer fully engaged.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From absorb + -ing.

Usage

Typically used attributively before a noun or predicatively after linking verbs like 'be', 'find', or 'become'.

Pitfall

The book was very absorbingly.The book was very absorbing.Absorbing is an adjective describing the thing; absorbingly is an adverb describing an action.

© 2026 English Reference