flow state

noun

A mental condition of complete absorption in an activity, marked by focused attention, diminished self-consciousness, and an altered sense of time, in which performance feels effortless and intrinsically rewarding.

Similar
in the zone
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Meanings

nounflow state (countable and uncountable, plural flow states)

plural flow states · alternative flowstate

  1. countableuncountableA mental condition of complete absorption in an activity, marked by focused attention, diminished self-consciousness, and an altered sense of time, in which performance feels effortless and intrinsically rewarding.

    Ritual enables a person to affect flow state more easily and acts as a body-mind cue.

    1997 March 24, Kathleen Kelleher, “Put the Brain on Hold, Get in the Zone”, in Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, Calif.: Los Angeles Times Communications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 27 Jan 2026

    Synonyms: in the zone

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA mental condition of complete absorption in an activity, marked by focused attention, diminished self-consciousness, and an altered sense of time, in which performance feels effortless and intrinsically rewarding.

Similar
in the zone
Also see
in the zone

Origin

From flow + state.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

flow state. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/flow%20state

MLA

“flow state.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/flow%20state. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “flow state,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/flow%20state.

Source: flow state on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.