engrossed

[en-grohst] / ɛnˈgroʊst /

ADJECTIVE

preoccupied; attentive to

Synonyms

STRONGEST

absorbed captivated consumed engaged enthralled submerged

STRONG

bugged busy fascinated gone gripped hooked immersed intrigued lost monopolized occupied riveted

WEAK

all wound up assiduous caught up caught up in deep diligent fiend for head over heels heavily into hung up industrious intent into rapt really into sedulous taken up with tied-up turned on up to here in wrapped-up

Antonyms

STRONG

existing idle inactive

WEAK

bored disenthralled disinterested ignoring inattentive oblivious uncaring uninterested unoccupied

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He keeps readers engrossed by methodically recounting the specifics of police work, including the business of obtaining warrants and interrogating witnesses.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

"This is all dog content, when will the cat programme be on?" one person engrossed in the service wrote in the chatroom on PetTV's streaming page.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

For much of the summer, though, he was engrossed in something else.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 5, 2025

When Molly read the book, as a 12-year-old, "I'm not sure that I ever looked up from it. I was totally engrossed."

From BBC • Oct. 20, 2025

Uncle Willie was engrossed in the Almanac, his nightly reading, and my brother was far away on a raft on the Mississippi.

From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou

Vocabulary lists containing engrossed

The Great Gatsby

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"The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury

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50 Words from Jane Austen's "Pride & Prejudice"

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