attentive

adjective

at·ten·tive | \ ə-ˈten-tiv

Definition of attentive

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

Other Words from attentive Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about attentive

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Examples of attentive in a Sentence

The hospital is proud of its attentive staff. Our waiter was very attentive.

Recent Examples on the Web

More caution should be exercised with outdoor activity, and be attentive to hydration. — Matt Rogers, Washington Post, "D.C.-area forecast: Settling into a hot and dry stretch, with fluctuating humidity," 25 June 2019 As Bergman and Stamm pointed out in the New England Journal of Medicine, physicians ought to be attentive to the ways that even routine care can have unintended negative side effects. — Rachel Pearson, The New Yorker, "The Durable Feeling That a Child Is Always at Risk," 10 June 2019 Gabi: fastidious, attentive, academic, an early-education specialist who used to work at a preschool. — Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, "The Perverse Logic of GoFundMe Health Care," 24 June 2019 Jesuits strive to be attentive to God's presence in their world, and aim to be responsive to what God is calling them to do. — Andrew Clark, Indianapolis Star, "Brebeuf Jesuit Indianapolis controversy: What are Jesuits?," 20 June 2019 Its service is famously attentive, with employees encouraged to use guests’ names and anticipate their every need. — oregonlive.com, "Ritz-Carlton hotel, condos coming to downtown food cart pod site," 20 June 2019 For this problem there was a slight twist in the tail — the kind of twist that math teachers add in order to see which students are really attentive to detail. — Quanta Magazine, "Solution: ‘The Problem With Dancing Shapes’," 24 Feb. 2016 Listen Actively: The lioness is a generous soul, but remember to withhold judgment and have an attentive ear. — Sonja Marie, Essence, "Gemini, Mind Your Money! Here Are June 2019 Horoscopes For All," 6 June 2019 In the illustrations accompanying the text, attentive sales personnel were shown offering customers these traditionally luxurious goods. — Djurdja Bartlett, Smithsonian, "When the United States and Soviet Union Fought It Out Over Fashion," 4 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'attentive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

11 Jul 2019

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

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More Definitions for attentive

attentive

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of attentive

: thinking about or watching something carefully : paying careful attention to something

: very concerned about the needs of others

See the full definition for attentive in the English Language Learners Dictionary

attentive

adjective

at·ten·tive | \ ə-ˈten-tiv

Kids Definition of attentive

1 : paying attention an attentive listener

2 : very thoughtful about the needs of others Mama was cordial and attentive to everyone, as if entertaining them gave her a purpose.— Pam Muñoz Ryan, Esperanza Rising