absentmindedness

noun

Meaning

The tendency to be lost in thought or preoccupied, leading to a lack of attention to one's immediate surroundings or tasks.

Examples

  • His chronic absentmindedness often led him to leave his keys in the refrigerator.
  • The professor was famous for his absentmindedness, frequently showing up to class wearing one brown shoe and one black one.

Synonyms: distraction, forgetfulness, preoccupation, scatterbrainedness