engrossed

American  

[en-grohst] / ɛnˈgroʊst /

adjective

1. completely occupied or absorbed, as by something that captures the mind or attention; showing or characterized by such absorption.

   A carefully planned light show, combined with a five-minute tapestry of spacey sounds by the quartet, brought the engrossed audience into a meditative state.

2. written or copied in a clear, attractive, large script or in a formal manner, as a public document or record.

   In the year 1776 Hopkinson voted for the Declaration of Independence, and affixed his signature to the engrossed copy of that memorable instrument.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of engross.

Other Word Forms

• engrossedly adverb
• self-engrossed adjective
• unengrossed adjective

Etymology

Origin of engrossed

engross ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

At his side, Harry scanned the tables, her attention catching on a table of people so engrossed in their game that they didn’t notice the girl staring at them just a few feet away.

From Literature

He and Jonah are so engrossed in their conversation, he doesn’t even look back to say hello.

From Literature

What engrossed him and his team was the Alto’s graphical display, which was destined to make the text-only displays of contemporary computers obsolete.

From Los Angeles Times

I was glad it was dark, although James was too engrossed in the picture to notice anyway.

From Literature

Luckily, this morning Mila was helping Auntie with some sewing, and they were both so engrossed I was able to get out of the house without too many questions.

From Literature

Related Words

• absorbed
• captivated
• consumed
• engaged
• enthralled
• submerged