noun
abstraction
A state of being lost in thought and unaware of one's surroundings.
In her abstraction, she walked past the door.
Etymology
Latin abstractio means a drawing away. In this mental sense, attention is drawn away from the immediate surroundings and absorbed in thought instead.
More examples
- His air of abstraction made conversation difficult.
- A knock interrupted her abstraction.
- She emerged from abstraction and noticed the waiting visitor.
Forms
abstraction
Similar words
- preoccupation
- Preoccupation means attention absorbed by a concern; abstraction emphasizes withdrawal from awareness of the surroundings.
- absentmindedness
- Absentmindedness often causes practical lapses; abstraction describes the absorbed mental state itself.