as in inattention
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Recent Examples of inattentiveness
Attorneys representing inmates there said the facility’s culture of violence and inattentiveness led to two suicides and at least 10 severe beatings and stabbings in its final year of operation.
—
Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 11 Mar. 2026
That inattentiveness to cleaning the floor extended to the bottom shelf of a kitchen prep table and the top shelf of a prep table next to the cookline, each shelf dotted with 100 rodent droppings.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 19 Dec. 2025
Three moments from yet another winless day in the Windy City laid Pittsburgh's inattentiveness to detail bare for all to see.
—CBS News, 25 Nov. 2025
At other times, the result can be both immediate and devastating, as seen in many traffic accidents caused by impatience, inattentiveness, or rashness.
—Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 11 Mar. 2026
That inattentiveness to cleaning the floor extended to the bottom shelf of a kitchen prep table and the top shelf of a prep table next to the cookline, each shelf dotted with 100 rodent droppings.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 19 Dec. 2025
Three moments from yet another winless day in the Windy City laid Pittsburgh's inattentiveness to detail bare for all to see.
—CBS News, 25 Nov. 2025
At other times, the result can be both immediate and devastating, as seen in many traffic accidents caused by impatience, inattentiveness, or rashness.
—Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inattentiveness
Noun
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The Berkeley survey underscored how much inattention is responsible for Democrats' lack of enthusiasm for a specific candidate.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2026
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In counterterrorism, inattention can be deadly.—
Jacob Ware,
Twin Cities,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Experts recommend placing valuables in zippered pockets inside a bag rather than loose in bins to reduce theft or forgetfulness.—
Iona Brannon,
Travel + Leisure,
13 Mar. 2026
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What these succulents don’t handle well is overwatering, so don’t think that giving them a little extra to make up for forgetfulness will pay off.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The officials’ performance reflected carelessness in the process.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
30 Mar. 2026
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Kerry Doyle, the former top ICE attorney during the Biden administration, said Mazzara’s comments show a shocking carelessness about the potential for harm against both the general public and the officers he was employed to protect.—
Andrea Castillo,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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As for inventions, accident and inadvertence played a role in the development of Post-it Notes and microwave heating.—
Amanda Foreman,
WSJ,
4 May 2018
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The history of the game proceeded through intelligence, but also through inadvertence.—
JAY CASPIAN KANG,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2017
Noun
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Again, what is lost is inadvertency and the element of surprise — the sense that the power of the image is independent of the photographer’s plans.—
TEJU COLE,
New York Times,
18 Oct. 2016
Noun
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The lawsuit accuses the hotel's ownership and management of negligence in connection with the incident last July.—
Terell Bailey,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
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The jury in Los Angeles found that Meta and YouTube were negligent in the design of their platforms, and that this negligence was a substantial factor in causing harm to the plaintiff.—
Tim Smith,
Vogue,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Lower lids folded inward, placing optic nerves under duress, a literal reflection of breeder shortsightedness.—
Andrew Norman Wilson,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
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In a historic example of incredible shortsightedness, Democratic leadership first used the far left for its own fleeting political advantage.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
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After a two-hour tale of comical deception, betrayal, emotional cruelty, insensitivity and obliviousness, the audience is expected to swallow a message of caring and community.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
27 Feb. 2026
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In Aspen, Wiseman deployed this method to showcase the casual obliviousness of some of his subjects.—
Vikram Murthi,
The Atlantic,
22 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inattentiveness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inattentiveness. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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