as in gestures
an act or utterance that is a customary show of good manners
she enjoyed her suitor's old-school attentions
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Recent Examples of attentions
Dedicates to vocal work, focuses attentions on her acting lessons, gives clear attention to her dancing.
—
Heide Janssen, Oc Register, 15 Mar. 2026
Documenting her and her fellow volunteers’ attentions, the book is an ode to the kind of careful, patient natural history that contemporary science practiced at its increasingly rapid pace does not encourage as much anymore.
—Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026
Both squads now turn attentions to their respective Summit League Championship tournaments this coming week.
—Staff Report, Twin Cities, 1 Mar. 2026
Edward’s younger brother Robert (Lukas Gage) spends his days doing little but pining most inappropriately for the attentions of eldest sibling Jack (Jamie Bell), while the stunted, oversexed energy of lone sister Anna (Riley Keough) spits in all directions.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
As Noth's social media interaction gained traction, the actor downplayed his comment and told fans to cast their attentions elsewhere.
—Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 14 Jan. 2026
Stir up some kind of fraternal rivalry for her attentions.
—Benjamin Markovits, The Atlantic, 21 Dec. 2025
The rivalry between the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs captured NBA fans’ attentions in the 2000s with both team led by superstars, one an American phenom who starred in the ACC in college and the other a European wunderkind revolutionizing the game.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2025
After the Christmas festivities conclude, Aruba’s attentions turn to Dande, a tradition whose name derives from the word for to wander in Papiamento, the Creole language that spans the ABC islands of the southern Caribbean.
—Mark Ellwood, AFAR Media, 20 Oct. 2025
Heide Janssen, Oc Register, 15 Mar. 2026
Documenting her and her fellow volunteers’ attentions, the book is an ode to the kind of careful, patient natural history that contemporary science practiced at its increasingly rapid pace does not encourage as much anymore.
—Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026
Both squads now turn attentions to their respective Summit League Championship tournaments this coming week.
—Staff Report, Twin Cities, 1 Mar. 2026
Edward’s younger brother Robert (Lukas Gage) spends his days doing little but pining most inappropriately for the attentions of eldest sibling Jack (Jamie Bell), while the stunted, oversexed energy of lone sister Anna (Riley Keough) spits in all directions.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
As Noth's social media interaction gained traction, the actor downplayed his comment and told fans to cast their attentions elsewhere.
—Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 14 Jan. 2026
Stir up some kind of fraternal rivalry for her attentions.
—Benjamin Markovits, The Atlantic, 21 Dec. 2025
The rivalry between the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs captured NBA fans’ attentions in the 2000s with both team led by superstars, one an American phenom who starred in the ACC in college and the other a European wunderkind revolutionizing the game.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2025
After the Christmas festivities conclude, Aruba’s attentions turn to Dande, a tradition whose name derives from the word for to wander in Papiamento, the Creole language that spans the ABC islands of the southern Caribbean.
—Mark Ellwood, AFAR Media, 20 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attentions
Noun
-
This successful integration proved that the AI could reliably translate internal tendon twitches into precise digital hand gestures across different body types.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Mar. 2026
-
The system understands the space around the user via computer vision sensors (cameras recognize objects, surfaces, gestures); lidars accurately measure distances and build a 3D map of space; special sensors determine the shape and volume of objects.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Small courtesies keep big efforts moving forward.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
15 Mar. 2026
-
With both courtesies and catastrophes refusing to conform, the canton’s school board, publishers, and clergy were forced to produce multiple editions of primers, textbooks, and catechisms; sometimes five parallel print runs were needed for a population the size of a town.—
Simon Akam,
New Yorker,
1 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Attentions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attentions. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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