absently

American

[ab-suhnt-lee] / ˈæb sənt li /

adverb

in an absent-minded manner; inattentively.

ˈabsently British

/ ˈæbsəntlɪ /

adverb

in an absent-minded or preoccupied manner; inattentively

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of absently

First recorded in 1870–75; absent + -ly

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.

I dropped the clothes into a large basket and called goodbye to Ma and Togbe, who waved me off absently, heads still bowed between the leafy maize shoots.

From Literature

“Hear, hear,” Lord Ashton said absently; he was busy thumbing through the almanac.

From Literature

She picked up the pad of entry slips and tapped it absently on the display table.

From Literature

At the Sunset Boulevard exit, I absently looked at the car to my left.

From Los Angeles Times

“And stop the screaming,” Jack added absently, and the howling stopped immediately.

From Literature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023