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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 inattentively

She turned her head, considered him inattentively, then turned it away again.

The Firing Line |Robert W. Chambers
She scratched at imaginary seeds, inattentively awaiting his pleasure.

Chiquita, an American Novel |Merrill Tileston
They were all listening idly, inattentively, to a cheap, metallic-toned gramophone that occupied a table near at hand.

The War in the Air |Herbert George Wells
"I scarcely know," said Raoul, inattentively, and sighing deeply at the same time.

Louise de la Valliere |Alexandre Dumas, Pere

Mrs. Marsden, glancing at him inattentively, vaguely wondered why he didn't take one of the many empty seats and sit down.

Mrs. Thompson |William Babington Maxwell

British Dictionary definitions for inattentively

inattentive

/ (ˌɪnəˈtɛntɪv) /

adjective

not paying attention; heedless; negligent

Derived forms of inattentive

inattention or inattentiveness, noun inattentively, adverb