Etymology
Origin of attentively
First recorded in 1375–1425; Middle English; attentive ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )
Explanation
To do something attentively is to do it with full attention and focus. If you listen attentively in class, you might just get an A. Listen attentively to the directions before you swim in a shark cage and survive! When you give something your attention, you're focusing on it. To be attentive is to be zeroed in on something. Add an -ly and it’s an adverb — doing things attentively shows this kind of mindset. In a crowded mall, parents attentively watch their little children so they don't get lost. Intelligence agents attentively watch out for threats to the country. Doing something attentively is the opposite of doing it in a careless, zoned-out way.
Vocabulary lists containing attentively
Clairboyance
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Across So Many Seas
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Vocabulary from "Crime and Punishment" Part V, Chapters I-III
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He appeared to be listening attentively and hardly moved his position throughout.
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026
Did everyone routinely use the encyclopedia, or read the Steinbeck novel, or listen attentively to Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony?
From Salon ● Apr. 19, 2026
Still, I found myself listening attentively to the warning Miller was issuing about buying into the salesman ethos.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 1, 2026
Grier, who sold her CPA practice a few years ago to become a financial adviser, found that listening attentively enabled her to forge a connection with jittery taxpayers.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 13, 2026
When he had spoken of his deliverance by the great apparition in the night, Fiver had listened attentively and asked one question, “Did it make a noise?”
From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
