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Glite Dictionary
spaced-out

spaced-out

4 8.7
Not fully paying attention and feeling confused or dreamy
  • adjective
  • /speɪst aʊt/
  • Informal
: despistado
  • After studying all night, I felt completely spaced out during the exam.

We were just sitting at the cocina and she was just spaced out looking at the wall.

Examples

  • Yeah, but then some of the lads were, I could see it was spaced out and just not with it.

  • Definitely more spaced out than I expected.

  • Yeah, but then some of the lads were, I could see it was spaced out and just not with it.

  • We were just sitting at the cocina and she was just spaced out looking at the wall.

    Alannized

  • I am used to having AF points more spaced out, usually because I tend to use the Rule of Thirds quite a bit in my compositions.

    Blog text (19)

  • She stared blankly at her computer screen, looking rather spaced out.

  • You seem a bit spaced out today; did you get enough sleep last night?

Synonyms

out of it
vsspaced-out
  • Informal
109 8.2

Not aware and slow to react because of tiredness or medicine

is a less deep state focused on confusion or inattention
dazed
vsspaced-out
38 4.8

Not able to think and act clearly after a shock or when very tired

is more general, including drifting attention not only shock effects
woozy
vsspaced-out
26 5.7

Feeling dizzy and unsteady, as if you might faint

is more about mental confusion than physical dizziness or weakness
groggy
vsspaced-out
22 5.6

Feeling weak, unsteady, and confused after being very tired, ill, or hit on the head

is less physical, more about mental inattentiveness or drug fog
foggy
vsspaced-out
15 3.4

Unable to think clearly or react quickly

is more dazed or druglike rather than only unclear thinking
absent
vsspaced-out
12 4.0

Not paying attention because your mind is somewhere else

is more passive daydreaming rather than an externally caused daze
discombobulated
vsspaced-out
  • Informal
6 9.9

Confused and unable to think clearly after something unexpected

is less formal and more about simple daze than disrupted order
zonked
vsspaced-out
  • Informal
5 9.1

Very tired, asleep, or feeling the effect of alcohol

is milder, often meaning inattentive rather than totally exhausted
dopey
vsspaced-out
  • Informal
4 4.0

Feeling sleepy, slow, and not very alert

is broader and often implies a mental blank rather than sleepiness
spacey
vsspaced-out
  • Informal
4 7.9

Appearing confused and not paying attention, as if daydreaming

is a broader daze that includes tiredness or drug effects
absentminded
vsspaced-out
2 5.9

A person who often does not pay attention and forgets small things like keys

is more about routine forgetfulness than heavy tired or drugged confusion
spacy
vsspaced-out
  • Informal
1 8.9

To feel dazed and not able to pay attention

is similar but also covers simple inattentiveness from tiredness
puddled
vsspaced-out
  • Informal
1 8.7

Confused and unable to think clearly because of tiredness or stress

is broader, including druglike daze beyond just tired confusion

Antonyms

focused
638 3.0

Giving full attention to one thing

alert
135 3.5

A state of being ready and watchful for possible danger

How Distracted

out of it
  • Informal
1 7.5
spaced-out
  • Informal
4 8.7
distracted
185 3.1
absentminded
2 5.9

Surface Forms

spaced-out positive

Morphology

spaced-out = space out (transparent) = space + out + ed

Formed from the phrasal verb 'space out' plus the participial '-ed' to make an adjective meaning 'in the state of having spaced out', so the meaning follows directly from the base.

Etymology

The word spaced-out comes from joining space and out, creating the image of your mind being 'out in space' and far away. So, spaced-out means 'not fully paying attention', confused, or dazed.