Absorbed in

How to use the expression "absorbed in" correctly

This is an entry on my list of Common Errors in English Usage. Visit the main page for direct links to additional entries.

When you use absorb to mean “engross,” use it with the preposition in:

too absorbed by his book to notice
too absorbed in his book to notice

Common Errors in English Usage: Errors in diction and idiom commonly made by native speakers of English

List of Common Errors in English Usage (PDF): Printable version of the complete list

Common Grammar Errors: A list of common errors in grammar (topics like subject-verb agreement and parallelism) as distinct from usage