observant

[uhb-zur-vuhnt]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR observant ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

quick to notice or perceive; alert.

looking at, watching, or regarding attentively; watchful.

careful in the observing of a law, custom, religious ritual, or the like.

noun

an observer of law or rule.

(initial capital letter) Also Ob·ser·van·tine

[ob-zur-vuhn-tin, -teen] /ɒbˈzɜr vən tɪn, -ˌtin/. a member of a Franciscan order that observes the strict rule of St. Francis.

Origin of observant

1425–75; late Middle English < French, present participle of observer. See observe, -ant

Related formsob·serv·ant·ly, adverbun·ob·serv·ant, adjectiveun·ob·serv·ant·ly, adverb

Synonyms for observant

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR observant ON THESAURUS.COM

1. perceptive. 2. attentive, heedful, mindful, aware. 3. obedient.

Antonyms for observant

1. dull, slow. 2. heedless.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for observant

mindful, discerning, discriminating, perceptive, vigilant, attentive, intelligent, alive, bright, considering, correct, eager, eagle-eyed, heedful, interested, keen, obedient, penetrating, questioning, quick

Examples from the Web for observant

Contemporary Examples of observant

Really quippy, relevant, observant, and, daresay, relatable dialogue.
‘Girls’ Season 3 Trailer Debuts. Is It the Most Relatable Yet?
Kevin Fallon
November 22, 2013
Kamala's character will struggle to exist in her observant Muslim family.
Meet the Muslim Ms. Marvel: Kamala Khan’s Fight Against Stereotypes
Rula Jebreal
November 8, 2013
Even in the most ridiculous moments, an observant, compassionate intelligence shines.
Book Bag: Rosecrans Baldwin’s Favorite Celebrity Memoirs
Rosecrans Baldwin
June 25, 2013
Venus was the quiet one: pensive and observant of everything around her.
Understanding Serena Williams’s Steubenville Comments
Allison Samuels
June 20, 2013
Once, when I spent a semester teaching in America, I had several very worldly students who had never met an observant Jew before.
I Don't Text on Shabbas
Gershom Gorenberg
June 17, 2013

Historical Examples of observant

And if I were to be at all observant of him, it must be from fear, not love.
Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9)
Samuel Richardson
We have been petting the children, and, like other children, these are a trifle too observant.
Brighter Britain! (Volume 1 of 2)
William Delisle Hay
The observant trio had noticed an additional cause for uneasiness.
A Waif of the Mountains
Edward S. Ellis
At least one of the three ladies possessed an observant mind.
The Hound From The North
Ridgwell Cullum
The doctor, observant and self-possessed, muttered, "He is very capable of that."
Nostromo: A Tale of the Seaboard
Joseph Conrad

British Dictionary definitions for observant

observant

adjective

paying close attention to detail; watchful or heedful

adhering strictly to rituals, ceremonies, laws, etc

Derived Formsobservantly, 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

Word Origin and History for observant

adj.

1590s, from observe + -ant, or else from French observant, past participle of observer (see observance). In reference to Judaism, from 1902. As a noun from late 15c. Related: Observantly; observantness.