attention span

American  

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of attention span

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

“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

“Cinema is more resistant to oblivion, and certainly longer-living than the short-lived attention span that the internet offers, while your urgency reaches places our films cannot,” Wenders said.

From Salon • Mar. 6, 2026

"My feeling is that the flood of nonsense, low-quality content generated using AI might further reduce people's attention span," he says.

From BBC • Feb. 2, 2026

And is anyone calling for those to be shortened to pander to the attention span of younger audiences?

From BBC • Sep. 23, 2025

They thought preschoolers did not have the attention span to handle anything other than very short, tightly focused segments.

From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell