unobservant

adjective

un·​ob·​ser·​vant ˌən-əb-ˈzər-vənt How to pronounce unobservant (audio)
: not observant: such as
a
: not watchful or attentive
unobservant of other people
unobservant passersby
b
: not careful to follow religious teachings or practices
… a religious adventure that transformed a 34-year-old unobservant Jew to one of the leaders of the Jewish renewal movement …Publishers Weekly

Examples of unobservant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Love can be unobservant, so if your friends aren’t wild about your new partner, that can be a great reality check, Adekunle says. Natanya Biskar, SELF, 21 Feb. 2022 Even the most unobservant can’t fail to have noticed that mindfulness is everywhere, from gym classes to apps and corporate wellness programs. Popular Science, 2 Jan. 2020 Kia does an excellent job of making both hybrids feel like normal cars, so the unobservant passenger might never notice a difference between an Optima with an electric motor and one without. Car and Driver, 22 Feb. 2018 With a compliant or unobservant casino, that money can be reported as gambling winnings to the I.R.S. and deposited into a U.S. bank with minimal questioning. Adam Davidson, The New Yorker, 12 May 2017

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

Word History

First Known Use

1615, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unobservant was in 1615

Dictionary Entries Near unobservant

Cite this Entry

“Unobservant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unobservant. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

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