attention span

American  

noun

attention spans plural

1. the interval during which an individual can concentrate, as on a single object, idea, or activity.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• attention spans
  plural

Etymology

Origin of attention span

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

Given their limited attention span, the last thing a child needs is a film chock-full of loose ends to distract from the crux of the story.

From Salon • Jun. 6, 2026

Slaymaker said he had noticed an increase in people using their phones in the cinema, which he put down to "changes in people's attention span".

From BBC • May 21, 2026

Yes, budgets can be boring, especially to a president with a famously short attention span.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

“Crypto traders have a short attention span, so they want to see quick returns and they want to see volatility,” said Fraussen.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 14, 2026

He’s spent four years on an experiment looking at whether a particular kind of scientifically engineered video game could improve the attention span and memory of people over the age of sixty.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel