INATTENTIVE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does inattentive mean? 

• INATTENTIVE (adjective)
  The adjective INATTENTIVE has 2 senses:

1. showing a lack of attention or care

2. not showing due care or attention

  Familiarity information: INATTENTIVE used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• INATTENTIVE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Showing a lack of attention or care

Context example:

an inattentive babysitter

Similar:

absent; absentminded; abstracted; scatty (lost in thought; showing preoccupation)

distracted; distrait (having the attention diverted especially because of anxiety)

dreamy; moony; woolgathering (dreamy in mood or nature)

drowsy; oscitant; yawning (showing lack of attention or boredom)

forgetful; oblivious (failing to keep in mind)

Also:

careless (marked by lack of attention or consideration or forethought or thoroughness; not careful)

negligent (characterized by neglect and undue lack of concern)

forgetful; mindless; unmindful (not mindful or attentive)

Attribute:

attention (a motionless erect stance with arms at the sides and feet together; assumed by military personnel during drill or review)

Antonym:

attentive ((often followed by 'to') giving care or attention)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Not showing due care or attention

Synonyms:

inattentive; neglectful

Context example:

neglectful parents

Similar:

negligent (characterized by neglect and undue lack of concern)

Derivation:

inattentiveness (the trait of not being considerate and thoughtful of others)

 Context examples 

She never could learn or understand anything before she was taught; and sometimes not even then, for she was often inattentive, and occasionally stupid.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

I had not, Miss Crawford, been an inattentive observer of what was passing between him and some part of this family in the summer and autumn.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

He will be a completely gross, vulgar farmer, totally inattentive to appearances, and thinking of nothing but profit and loss.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

In medicine, a family of drugs used to treat depression, attention-deficit disorder (a common disorder in which children are inattentive, impulsive, and/or over-active), and narcolepsy (a sleep disorder that causes uncontrollable sleepiness).

(CNS stimulant, NCI Dictionary)

I never saw a more promising inclination; he was growing quite inattentive to other people, and wholly engrossed by her.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

Of course, my philosophy had always recognized the inevitableness of the love-call sooner or later; but long years of bookish silence had made me inattentive and unprepared.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

She feared that under this persuasion she had been unjust, inattentive, nay, almost unkind, to her Elinor;—that Marianne's affliction, because more acknowledged, more immediately before her, had too much engrossed her tenderness, and led her away to forget that in Elinor she might have a daughter suffering almost as much, certainly with less self-provocation, and greater fortitude.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

Mrs. Allen was not inattentive to it: “Well, my dear,” said she, “suppose you go.”

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

Miss Crawford, untouched and inattentive, had nothing to say; and Fanny, perceiving it, brought back her own mind to what she thought must interest.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Wholly inattentive to her sister's feelings, Lydia flew about the house in restless ecstasy, calling for everyone's congratulations, and laughing and talking with more violence than ever; whilst the luckless Kitty continued in the parlour repined at her fate in terms as unreasonable as her accent was peevish.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)