engross
Americanverb (used with object)
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to occupy completely, as the mind or attention; absorb.
Their discussion engrossed his attention.
She is engrossed in her work.
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to write or copy in a clear, attractive, large script or in a formal manner, as a public document or record.
to engross a deed.
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to acquire the whole of (a commodity), in order to control the market; monopolize.
verb
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to occupy one's attention completely; absorb
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to write or copy (manuscript) in large legible handwriting
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law to write or type out formally (a deed, agreement, or other document) preparatory to execution
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another word for corner
Other Word Forms
- engrossed adjective
- engrossedly adverb
- engrosser noun
- reengross verb (used with object)
Etymology
Origin of engross
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English engros(s)en “to gather in large quantities, draft (a will, etc.) in final form,” from Anglo-French engrosser, partly from Medieval Latin ingrossāre “to thicken, write large and thick” ( Latin in- in- 2 + gross(us) “thick” + -āre infinitive suffix); partly from Anglo-French, Middle French en gros “in quantity, wholesale,” from Latin in + grossus; gross
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.
This discovery of Orage’s significance in Katherine Mansfield’s life and work matters to scholars, but Ms. Kimber misjudges how much it might engross readers of a biography.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026
Whatever their inspirations, Neuman’s pictures are visual machines that both engross and propel the viewer’s eye.
From Washington Post • Jul. 29, 2022
Narratives of injury engross us because they point to tangible harms — blindings and burns and broken bones.
From New York Times • Apr. 21, 2022
From the high-intensity action set pieces to the quieter moments, like riding on horseback or cooking a meal, Red Dead Redemption 2 is a game that will absolutely engross you if you let it.
From The Verge • Dec. 17, 2018
She looks up and smiles into my lens and then pretends to engross herself in her work.
From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
