attentive

adjective

at·​ten·​tive ə-ˈten-tiv How to pronounce attentive (audio)
1
: mindful, observant
attentive to what he is doing
2
: heedful of the comfort of others : solicitous
an attentive waitress
3
: offering attentions in or as if in the role of a suitor
an attentive boyfriend
attentively adverb
attentiveness noun

Examples of attentive in a Sentence

The hospital is proud of its attentive staff. Our waiter was very attentive.
Recent Examples on the Web Compared to the zero-tolerance policies of the recent past, this emerging approach to drug control is less focused on criminal punishment and more attentive to the costs and benefits of different substances and interventions. David Pozen, TIME, 25 Apr. 2024 The nature and degree of popular anger, the decline of U.S. primacy and the collapse of its legitimacy, and Arab regimes’ prioritization of their domestic survival, as well as regional competition, suggests that the new regional order will be much more attentive to public opinion than the old. Marc Lynch, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2024 Shaeffer—attentive and soft-spoken—sorts the Mylar pieces on the table. Nathan Heller, Vogue, 17 Apr. 2024 By aligning with podcasts that reflect the listener's self-concept, advertisers can engage an audience that is inherently more attentive and open to their messages. Curt Steinhorst, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024 The staff, while still finding its footing, is smart, attentive and determined to please. Keith Pandolfi, The Enquirer, 15 Mar. 2024 Americans became less worried about their children’s utility and more attentive to their development and happiness. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Mar. 2024 And Lazaro says the defense can paint a picture of James Craig as a kind and attentive partner. Natalie Morales, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2024 Parma is not the capital of perfume, nor even geographically adjacent to it — that would be the French town Grasse — but in keeping with the attentive grooming of the average Parmesan, there are a startling number of perfume stores lining the streets. Molly Young, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'attentive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see attend

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of attentive was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near attentive

Cite this Entry

“Attentive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attentive. Accessed 29 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

attentive

adjective
at·​ten·​tive ə-ˈtent-iv How to pronounce attentive (audio)
1
: paying attention
2
: thoughtful for the welfare or comfort of others : courteous
attentively adverb
attentiveness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on attentive

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!