Skip to main content
attention

attention

1.6
A careful focus on something to notice or think about it
  • noun
  • /əˈtɛnʃən/
translation icon : atención
  • Why don't you pay attention to me when I speak to you?
  • pay attention
  • draw attention
  • focus attention

So virtue ethics focuses its attention on the actor.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • She tried so hard to get his attention.

  • It was just brought to my attention the other day.

  • Ladies and gentlemen, your attention please.

  • May I have your attention, please?

  • We can begin to shift our attention back into our minds.

  • Yet the scope of their efforts has often received little attention outside the tribal community.

    Academic text (2017)
  • When he's talking to you, his attention is fully on you.

  • They are designed to capture your attention and make you more alert.

  • One element of this effort is increased attention to the value and utility of meta-analyses.

    Academic text (2012)
  • May I have your attention, please, while I explain the new project?

Synonyms

eye
vsattention
4.2

Careful watching of someone or something to notice what they do

is broader, not limited to visual perception or sight based interest
focus
vsattention
794 3.5

Close attention to one subject or activity

is wider, also covers light notice or general interest
mind
vsattention
  • Informal
645 6.6

Attention given to someone or something

is more formal and general than such idiomatic phrase use
observation
vsattention
211 3.0

The act of watching something to learn about it

is broader, also covering notice without a data collection aim
concentration
vsattention
122 3.3

The ability to give all your attention to something

is broader, also including simple notice or casual interest
attentiveness
vsattention
3 4.2

Careful watching and listening for other people's needs and feelings

is general, not limited to caring or social awareness
attending
vsattention
  • Specialized
1 7.6

Focusing closely on one thing and ignoring others

is more general, applying to all kinds of notice rather than selectivity
watching
vsattention
1 1.0

Looking at something carefully for some time to notice changes

is not limited to visual monitoring or prolonged study
focusing
vsattention
2.1

To give most of your attention to one task or thing

is broader, also including casual awareness or passing interest
intentness
vsattention
6.8

A strong, focused attention on a task

is milder, also covering ordinary notice or loose interest
advertence
vsattention
  • Archaic
9.9

Careful attention to what someone says or does

is more common and neutral, not this formal or technical word
advertency
vsattention
  • Archaic
9.9

Careful attention to what you watch or hear

is the everyday term used instead of this formal quality word

Antonyms

234 2.9

Something that takes your attention away from what you are doing

71 4.6

Lack of interest or concern about something

8 4.6

Not noticing things around you

Compounds

media attention
  • Literature
37 2.4

Notice or interest from newspapers, TV, and websites

The time someone can focus on one thing without getting distracted

29 3.2

A person or thing people notice most in a group

11 3.6

A condition that makes it hard to pay attention and sometimes makes people very active or act without thinking

A condition often in children causing trouble paying attention, being very active and acting without thinking

Makes people notice it

attention whore
  • Offensive
2 9.9

A person who wants people to notice them too much

Immediate care or action needed because a problem is serious and may get worse

A short loud sound that gets people's attention

A lot of people notice someone or something

Extra medical care needed after first treatment

How Attentive

absorption
5 4.9
concentration
122 3.3
attention
1.6
inattention
8 4.6

Surface Forms

attention singular
attentions plural

Morphology

attention = attend (transparent) = attend + tion

The noun 'attention' is derived from the verb 'attend' with the suffix '-tion', indicating the act or process of attending.

Etymology

Attention comes from Latin parts ad- 'to' and tendere 'to stretch', so it literally means 'stretching toward'. Think of it as 'stretching your mind toward' one thing, which is why attention means focusing or noticing something closely.