absent-minded

IPA/ˌæbsənt ˈmaɪndɪd/
IPA/ˌæbsənt ˈmaɪndɪd/

absent-minded — 形容詞

1. describes a person who regularly misplaces items, misses scheduled events, or fa

1.形容詞B2
釋義

心不在焉

因專注於別事而忽略周遭或遺忘事物

describes a person who regularly misplaces items, misses scheduled events, or fails to notice what is going on around them because their thoughts are absorbed by something else

例句

The more tired Bao becomes, the more absent-minded he gets about locking doors.

Bao 越累就越心不在焉，常忘記鎖門。

the + comparative, the + comparative for cause and effect

Anjali left her umbrella on the bus in an absent-minded rush this morning.

Anjali 今早心不在焉地匆匆出門，把雨傘忘在公車上了。

in an absent-minded + noun for describing an action

同義詞
  • forgetful

    focuses on memory lapses rather than general inattention; less about being lost in thought

  • distracted

    suggests a temporary state caused by something specific (noise, worry), not a personality trait

  • preoccupied

    emphasises that the mind is fully taken up by a particular concern, not a general habit

反義詞
  • attentive

    paying careful attention to what is happening around one

  • alert

    fully aware and quick to notice things; the opposite of oblivious

用法筆記

Unlike 'forgetful', which focuses only on memory lapses, absent-minded describes a broader pattern of inattention caused by mental absorption — the person may also fail to notice their surroundings or act distractedly.

常見錯誤

❌He is absent-minded about the meeting time.
✅He forgot the meeting time because he was absent-minded.
💡absent-minded describes a habitual trait, not a single instance of forgetting. Use 'forgetful' or 'distracted' for one-off lapses.