What does "attention" mean?
Mental focus.
Attention
/əˈtɛn.ʃn̩/ intj, noun
intj, noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Mental focus.
- Grammar: attention is listed as intj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: care, consideration, notice, observation.
- Useful contrasts: blank stare, intentional disregard, perceived triviality.
- Usage evidence: You must pay attention to his advice.
How to use "attention"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "attention" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "attention" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "attention" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "attention" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "attention" is acting as intj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "care" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "attention", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Mental focus. uncountable
"Please direct your attention to the following words."
- 2 the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something wordnet
- 3 An action or remark expressing concern for or interest in someone or something, especially romantic interest. countable
"She attended her sickbed; her watchful attentions triumphed over the malignity of the distemper."
- 4 a courteous act indicating affection wordnet
- 5 A state of alertness in the standing position. uncountable
"The company will now come to attention."
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 a motionless erect stance with arms at the sides and feet together; assumed by military personnel during drill or review wordnet
- 7 A kind of prioritisation technique in neural networks that assigns soft weights between tokens from two (or more) input sequences in order to compute the required output. uncountable
"The attention mechanism is an important part of these models and plays a very crucial role. Before Transformer models, the attention mechanism was proposed as a helper for improving conventional DL models such as RNNs."
- 8 the faculty or power of mental concentration wordnet
- 9 the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others wordnet
- 10 a general interest that leads people to want to know more wordnet
Intj
- 1 Used as a command to bring soldiers to the attention position.
- 2 A call for people to be quiet/stop doing what they are presently doing and pay heed to what they are to be told or shown.
Antonyms
blank stareintentional disregardperceived trivialitynot notice
Example
"You must pay attention to his advice."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "attention"?
Common synonyms include: care, consideration, notice, observation, regard, absorption.
How do you use "attention" in a sentence?
You must pay attention to his advice.
How do you pronounce "attention"?
Pronounced /əˈtɛn.ʃn̩/.
Etymology
From Middle English attencioun, borrowed from Latin attentio, attentionis, from attendere, past participle attentus (“to attend, give heed to”); see attend. Equivalent to attend + -tion.