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Attentive Definition – Meaning And Usage In A Sentence

Attentive Definition – Meaning And Usage In A Sentence

Sometimes, even the simplest words may seem complex when you are asked to define them. Take, for instance, the word “attentive.” Do you know the correct attentive definition or any other meaning?

Attentive means “taking heed; giving close and thoughtful attention to something or someone.” Use it when describing someone alert, paying attention, watching, or listening carefully. Another meaning for attentive is “to be considerate, courteous, devoted, observant, or thoughtful of others.”

The word “attentive” looks and sounds like the noun “attention.” Therefore, if you know the meaning of attention, you probably have an idea of the definition of attentive. Read this post to know all there is about the meaning, definition, and usage of attentive in sentences.

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What Is The Definition Of Attentive?

The definition of attentive is “paying attention when doing something.” The word also applies when the attention is showcased when noticing, watching, listening, or attending to something. With attention, there must be some level of closeness.

Below are some sentence examples:

  • Talking to Simon is easy because of how attentive he usually is.
  • A child who carefully listens to his parents’ instructions is an example of someone attentive.
  • Anita is an attentive listener who does not like talking too much.

Other Meanings Of Attentive

Another meaning for attentive is “heedful of the comfort of others or courteous.” More so, attentive means regarding others with care and attention. For example, “All his friends praise him for being attentive.”

The term attentive also means “to carefully fulfill the needs and wants of others.” For example, in a sentence, “She was always attentive to his needs despite their constant visceral fighting.”

In psychology, “attentive” means concentrating your mental powers on something. In a sentence, “I have never been as attentive in class as yesterday.”

Use Of Attentive In Different Contexts

Context is the situation where you can use a word. Therefore, learning the contexts where you can use a word gives you a deeper understanding of its meaning. Use the word “attentive” to mean the following in different contexts.

  • Being alert and on top of things.
  • Absorbed with something that is being presented.
  • Hardworking or diligent in work.
  • Conscious or aware of something.
  • Accepting legal or moral obligations and willingness to do them.
  • Asking questions or investigating a topic.
  • Showing love and affection towards someone in a close relationship.

Look at the below sentences with the word “attentive” to understand how the above situation applies.

  • Being constantly attentive earned him the top award this academic year.
  • Simon was awarded for being the most attentive student all year.
  • You cannot be trusted if you are unable to be attentive to the needs of others.
  • After the ruling and warning from the judge, the inmates became more attentive to their punishment.
  • The students have been extra attentive to this topic.
  • Jane and Mark are a beautiful couple, always attentive to each other.

Questions To Ask About Attentive

Learning a new word is not as easy as it may seem. For instance, you may encounter some questions and end up confused. Here are some of the questions related to “attentive” and what they mean.

What is the difference between attention and attentive? The words attentive and attention have the same meaning. Therefore, their only difference is that attention is the noun form for attentive.

What is another word for attentive? There are many words you can use instead of attentive. They include; alert, intent, watchful, mindful, focused, and vigilant. Additionally, you can learn more alternative words for attentive by researching their synonyms.

What is the opposite of attentive? The opposite of attentive is inattentive, which means exhibiting a lack of attention or negligence.

What Is The Meaning Of Attentive?

Another meaning of “attentive” is being thoughtful, showing concern for others’ needs, or observing something or someone diligently.

Here are some sentence examples:

  • Mum became particularly attentive when the newscaster turned to legal topics.
  • The fascination of the Romeo and Juliet play continues to draw attentive theater audiences centuries after it was composed.
  • Police officers have become more attentive and competent since the “defund the police” campaigns.

Synonyms Of Attentive

It would also help to learn the synonyms of attentive and how you can use them in various contexts to improve your vocabulary. Here is a list of “attentive” synonyms.

  • Observant
  • Alert
  • Intent
  • Watchful
  • Concentrating
  • Aware
  • Vigilant
  • Interested

Antonyms Of Attentive

Antonyms are words with contradictory meanings. Studying antonyms when learning a new word is a great way to learn more vocabulary. Make sure you have an idea about the following antonyms of “attentive.”

  • Inattentive
  • Distracted
  • Absent
  • Absentminded
  • Abstracted
  • Inobservant
  • Unfocused
  • Absent-minded

Rhymes Of Attentive

A rhyme is a repetition of similar sounds, mostly the final syllables. Learning the words that rhyme with “attentive” is one of the best ways to improve your language skills, especially if you are in the artistry field; rhyming is a vital literary tool. The rhyming words of attentive include the following.

  • Collective
  • Primitive
  • Negative
  • Objective
  • Perspective
  • Substantive
  • Defensive
  • Incentive

How To Use Attentive In A Sentence

Attentive is an adjective. Use the word in a sentence to modify or tell more about a noun. You can also use the term as an adverb or noun—more on that below.

Different Word Forms Of Attentive

Like other English words, there are various forms of the word “attentive.” You can use the various word forms in varying contexts. Here are the most recognized word forms of “attentive.”

  • Attentive is an adjective; however, it also has other adjective forms, like attent, attentional, and attention.
  • The adverbs for attentive are; attentionally or attentively.
  • The nouns for attentive are; attention, attentivity, attentiveness, attentiveness, or attentions.
  • Note that the word “attentive” is not a verb. Therefore, it does not have a present or past tense. Also, it is not a noun, meaning it lacks the singular or plural form.

10 Examples Of Attentive In A Sentence

Linguists recommend reading examples of the usage of the new word in sentences to understand it better. For this reason, we have detailed ten examples of “attentive” in sentences. Read keenly, and by the time you finish all of them, you will be able to draft your sentences with this word.

  1. Mr. Gerald is the fifth grade’s favorite teacher and the only one that can enjoy attentive and well-behaved students.
  2. When her mother entered the room, Kate set down her box and smiled attentively in her direction.
  3. The best thing about my husband is that he is attentive to my needs.
  4. Despite his muteness, the boy seemed attentive, so the teacher did not call him out with the rest of the misfits.
  5. The students were attentive to Anna because they all wanted to get into the summer program.
  6. I never know what I will get from my mum, a very attentive or reserved attitude.
  7. I enjoyed my date with Darnel so much, especially how attentive he was to what I said and did.
  8. Since Simon got into trouble, our mum has been quite attentive to all our actions.
  9. I cannot count how many times my mother has gone on and on about the importance of being attentive in class.
  10. The class was attentive as Carol explained how he used his old bike parts to create his award-winning project for the competition.

How Do You Spell Attentive?

“A.T.T.E.N.T.I.V.E” is the correct spelling.

Always remember that the English language has 26 letters, which build multiple words. Any slight mistake will change the word you intend to write into something utterly different.

How Do You Pronounce Attentive?

The right pronunciation of “attentive” is un – ten – tive or un – ten – tuhv.

According to the I.P.A., the right pronunciation for attentive is “\ə-ˈten-tiv\.” Attentive is easy to pronounce, especially if you split it into syllables. Learn to pronounce attentive by listening to Google audio pronunciation and practicing repeatedly.

How Many Syllables Are In Attentive?

The word attentive has three syllables divided into “at – ten – tive.” “Ten” is the stressed syllable in attentive.

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History & Etymology Of Attentive

The word attentive stems from Old French “atentif,” meaning “expectant, hopeful, heedful, or observant.”

Attentive also comes from the past participle of Latin “attendere or attentive,” meaning “to give heed to or a sense of ministering to the needs and wants of another person.” Another Latin root for the term is “attineo,” meaning “to bring or hold to near, detain, hold back, or delay.” Lastly, the word “attentive” is a word form of “attend,” a 13th Century verb meaning “to expect, wait for, or pay attention.”

When Was Attentive First Used?

The word dates back to the late 14th century.

Note that the word was first used in Latin. However, its application in English was first recorded in the 15th century.

Conclusion

Attentive is an adjective for the noun “attention.” It is a relatively easy word to learn and use in sentences. For instance, you can use “attentive” to describe someone’s character or specific behavior. Hint: After reading this attentive definition, meaning, and usage post, don’t stop learning and practicing this word if you want to perfectly know much about it.