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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Montse Tomé is the attentive personality spurring the current crop on from the sidelines. Henry Flynn, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025 During their stay, travelers will notice things like stainless steel coffee makers in their rooms, beautifully tiled jacuzzis, attentive staff, and a delightfully relaxed atmosphere. Lea Dlugosch, Travel + Leisure, 22 July 2025 If used in combination with an attentive human, however, the technology could prove highly effective at reducing the number of traffic fatalities on European roads. Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 22 July 2025 Full-Self Driving (Supervised) is a semi-autonomous driving feature that can stop, go, and steer without interactions from a driver as long as the user is attentive. Charles Singh, USA Today, 18 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for attentive

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Attentive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attentive. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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

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