attention span

noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of attention span¹

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

Price’s thesis is simple, but unsettling: modern digital life — especially social media — is turbocharging our anxieties and splintering our attention spans, making what she calls “True Fun” feel increasingly elusive.

Read more on Salon

And it works: The children sit riveted throughout the 20-minute presentation, despite notoriously short preschool attention spans.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“There are up to eight newscasts all running simultaneously. There’s so much more competition now. And there’s also America’s short attention span.”

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Americans are an impatient people; we have a short attention span.

Read more on Salon

Phones have ruined both our attention spans and our posture.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal