Meaning & use
attentively
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Meanings
adverbcomparable
In a way that shows you are listening or watching closely and giving your full concentration.
Grammar: Usually follows the verb it describes: she listened attentively.
Patterns
- listen attentively
- watch attentively
- read something attentively
The students listened attentively while the guide explained the exhibit.
He read the contract attentively before signing it.
The cat watched the bird attentively from the window.
adverbcomparable
In a caring, thoughtful way that looks after what other people need.
Grammar: Used with verbs of service or care: the staff served us attentively.
Patterns
- treat someone attentively
- serve someone attentively
The waiter served the guests attentively without being intrusive.
She cared attentively for her elderly father.
The nurse attentively checked every patient on the ward.
Word forms
| comparative | more attentively |
|---|---|
| superlative | most attentively |
Common combinations
- listen attentively
- Please listen attentively to the safety instructions.
- watch attentively
- The children watched attentively as the magician worked.
- read attentively
- Read the question attentively before you answer.
- follow attentively
- The jury followed the evidence attentively.
- serve attentively
- The hosts served their guests attentively all evening.
- nod attentively
- She nodded attentively as her manager spoke.
Synonyms and how they differ
- carefully
- Carefully focuses on avoiding mistakes, while attentively stresses giving your focus to a person or thing.
- intently
- Intently suggests strong, almost fixed concentration, whereas attentively is calmer and more polite.
- closely
- Closely stresses how near or detailed your observation is, rather than your general willingness to give attention.
- heedfully
- Heedfully is a rare, formal word suggesting you take notice of advice or warnings.
Opposites
Word family
- attentive adjective
- paying close attention, or helpful and thoughtful toward others
- attention noun
- the act of focusing your mind on something
- attentiveness noun
- the quality of paying close attention
- inattentive adjective
- not paying attention
- attend verb
- to pay attention to something, or to be present at an event
Commonly confused: attentively or attentive? attentively or intently?
attentively vs attentive
Attentive is the adjective describing a person (an attentive student), while attentively is the adverb describing how an action is done (she listened attentively).
attentively vs intently
Intently shows strong, fixed concentration; attentively is gentler and more about respectful focus.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'attentively' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Attentively is an adverb and here modifies the verb 'listened'. The other sentences use it as an adjective or leave out a verb, which is wrong.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “attentively”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.