Inattentive: meaning, definitions and examples

Use when describing someone who is not paying attention or lacks focus, often in situations requiring concentration, like classroom settings or important meetings.

• The student was inattentive during the lecture and missed important information.
• She was inattentive while driving and nearly had an accident.

Appropriate for someone whose attention is diverted to something else, often resulting in inability to concentrate on the primary task. It can occur in various settings, including work, study, or daily tasks.

• She was distracted by her phone and missed what the teacher was saying.
• He felt distracted because of the noise coming from the street.

This word describes someone who fails to give enough thought or attention to what they are doing, especially in situations where caution and precision are important. It can imply a lack of concern.

• He was careless with the documents and lost them.
• A careless mistake in the experiment caused the wrong results.

This word is used to describe someone who fails to take proper care or give necessary attention to people, duties, or things. It often carries a more negative connotation and can imply irresponsibility.

• She was neglectful of her duties as a parent.
• The worker was neglectful of safety procedures, leading to an accident.