inattentive

[ in-uh-ten-tiv ]

/ ˌɪn əˈtɛn tɪv /

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See synonyms for: inattentive / inattentively / inattentiveness on Thesaurus.com

adjective

not attentive; negligent: Inattentive or careless driving is a serious issue, and cell phones clearly contribute to it.

characterized by or exhibiting a lack of focus or concentration:Most children are occasionally inattentive, distractible, impulsive, or highly active.

OTHER WORDS FOR inattentive

1 careless, irresponsible, neglectful, regardless, remiss, slapdash, slipshod, thoughtless.

2 absent, absent-minded, abstracted, distracted, dreamy, faraway, oblivious, preoccupied, unheeding, unobservant; distrait, heedless, unmindful; ditzy.

See synonyms for inattentive on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR inattentive

1, 2 careful, thoughtful, mindful.

See antonyms for inattentive on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of inattentive

First recorded in 1735–45; in-³ + attentive

OTHER WORDS FROM inattentive

in·at·ten·tive·ly, adverbin·at·ten·tive·ness, noun

Words nearby inattentive

in a state, in a stew, in a tight corner, in a tizzy, inattention, inattentive, in at the death, inaudible, inaugural, inaugurate, inauguration

How to use inattentive in a sentence

Researchers studying glance data from 290 human-initiated Autopilot disengagement epochs found drivers may become inattentive when using partially automated driving systems.
MIT study finds Tesla drivers become inattentive when Autopilot is activated|noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)|September 21, 2021|TechCrunch
Maternal health organizations often encourage pregnant people to advocate for themselves, to challenge biased or inattentive providers, and demand diagnostic tests like the BNP.
A simple blood test could save new mothers. Why aren’t more doctors using it?|Rachel Feltman|July 14, 2021|Popular-Science
There’ll be a cause of it, and there’ll be a vehicle code attached to the cause, if it’s inattentive driving or whatever the case may be.
Tiger Woods will not face charges, sheriff says, as investigation into crash continues|Adam Kilgore|February 24, 2021|Washington Post
He’s also a philandering husband and inattentive father to his two adult daughters.
With ‘Roadkill,’ PBS invites you to watch a narcissist politician who gets away with everything. How does that grab you?|Hank Stuever|October 30, 2020|Washington Post

In truth, Obama is neither inattentive nor in over his head.
The Crisis Leadership of No-Drama Obama|Jonathan Alter|June 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She never liked her mother—a frigid and inattentive woman—but adored her father.
A Sex Addiction Expert Diagnoses Lars Von Trier’s ‘Nymphomaniac’|Lizzie Crocker|March 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Row is understated, luxurious, and inattentive to trends.
CFDA Honors Behind-the-Scenes Fashion Stars and Understated Style|Robin Givhan|June 5, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Plotz was, by his own estimation, an inattentive Jew, a biblical ignoramus.
Is God Evil?|The Daily Beast|March 11, 2009|DAILY BEAST
There came but one thing to grieve the tempers of our members—the service was slip-shod, inattentive, vile.
The Onlooker, Volume 1, Part 2|Various
Who else would be as charmingly unconscious and inattentive as this American vagabond!
Two Men of Sandy Bar|Bret Harte
The Chamber sat still out of respect, but as a fact the members were inattentive.
The conquest of Rome|Matilde Serao
Again, those thus affected are quite as likely to be the dull or inattentive as the studious.
The Education of American Girls|Anna Callender Brackett
England, though apparently apathetic and inactive, was not inattentive to the situation.
Origin of the Anglo-Boer War Revealed (2nd ed.)|C. H. Thomas

British Dictionary definitions for inattentive

inattentive

/ (ˌɪnəˈtɛntɪv) /

adjective

not paying attention; heedless; negligent

Derived forms of inattentive

inattention or inattentiveness, nouninattentively, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

inattentive

OTHER WORDS FOR inattentive

OPPOSITES FOR inattentive

Origin of inattentive

OTHER WORDS FROM inattentive

Words nearby inattentive

Words related to inattentive

How to use inattentive in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for inattentive

Derived forms of inattentive