An absorbent web structure composed of a mixture of 5 to 50% by weight of short fibers of a thermoplastic resin rendered hydrophilic with a surface-active agent and 95 to 50% by weight of cellulosic fibers, said thermoplastic short fibers being melt-bonded to impart self-supporting property to the web structure; characterized in that(i) said thermoplastic short fibers are rendered hydrophilic by forming an aqueous slurry of the fibers containing a nonionic surface-active agent and then dehydrating the slurry, and(ii) said nonionic surface-active agent has (a) an HLB value of from 2 to 20 and (b) a melting point equal to, or higher than, the temperature of the slurry at the time of the dehydrating treatment described in (i) above.