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inattentive

[ in-uh-ten-tiv ]

/ ˌɪn əˈtɛn tɪv /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR inattentive ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

not attentive; negligent.

Origin of inattentive

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

SYNONYMS FOR inattentive

heedless, oblivious, unmindful, preoccupied.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR inattentive ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM inattentive

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

Words nearby inattentive

inartificial, inartistic, inasmuch as, inassimilable, inattention, inattentive, inaudible, inaugural, inaugurate, inauguration, inauguration day

Example sentences from the Web for inattentive

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
The house grew restless, inattentive, Andrew flogged his soul until he seemed to sweat his heart's blood.

The Mountebank |William J. Locke
And we then suppose that a part of what the witnesses have said is untrue, or assume that they were inattentive, or blind.

Criminal Psychology |Hans Gross

Of this circumstance both Billy and his master were no inattentive spectators from their exalted stations.

Fairy Legends and Traditions of The South of Ireland |T. Crofton Crocker
Miranda is not inattentive—she is fascinated by the story—but her father attributes his own wandering thoughts to her.

Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 8 |Charles H. Sylvester
At lectures it was a failure; it was such an inattentive beggar that its notes were worth nothing.

Sport Royal |Anthony Hope

British Dictionary definitions for inattentive

inattentive

/ (ˌɪnəˈtɛntɪv) /

adjective

not paying attention; heedless; negligent

Derived forms of inattentive

inattention or inattentiveness, noun inattentively, adverb