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inattention

intermediateB2

/ˌɪnəˈtɛnʃən/ · in-at-ten-tion

The state or habit of not paying attention; failure to give adequate notice, care, or concentration to something or someone.

Meanings

nounformal

The state or habit of not paying attention; failure to give adequate notice, care, or concentration to something or someone.

کسی چیز یا شخص پر توجہ نہ دینے کی کیفیت یا عادت؛ مناسب دھیان یا احتیاط کا فقدان۔

غفلت

ghaflat

Formal: عدم توجہColloquial: بے دھیانی

Synonyms

negligenceheedlessnessdistractioncarelessnessabsentmindednessoversightdisregardغفلتلاپرواہیبے توجہیسہل انگاریبے خیالی

Antonyms

attentionattentivenessvigilancemindfulnessconcentrationdiligenceتوجہہوشیاریچوکسییکسوئیدھیان

Common Collocations

  • inattention to detail
  • criminal inattention
  • momentary inattention
  • inattention in class
  • wilful inattention
  • inattention to duty
  • inattention to warning signs
  • chronic inattention

Example Sentences

His inattention during the lecture caused him to miss several important points.

لیکچر کے دوران اس کی بے توجہی کی وجہ سے وہ کئی اہم نکات سے محروم رہا۔

Lecture ke dauran us ki be-tawajjuhi ki wajah se woh kayi aham nuktaat se mahroom raha.

The accident was caused by a moment of inattention at the wheel.

یہ حادثہ اسٹیئرنگ کے وقت ایک لمحے کی غفلت کی وجہ سے پیش آیا۔

Yeh haadsa steering ke waqt ek lamhe ki ghaflat ki wajah se paish aaya.

The teacher's inattention to the students' needs was a source of frustration for the parents.

طلبا کی ضروریات سے استاد کی غفلت والدین کے لیے پریشانی کا باعث تھی۔

Tulba ki zaruriyaat se ustaad ki ghaflat walidain ke liye pareshani ka baais thi.

Chronic inattention is one of the hallmark symptoms of ADHD.

دائمی بے توجہی ADHD کی نمایاں علامات میں سے ایک ہے۔

Daimi be-tawajjuhi ADHD ki numayan alamaat mein se ek hai.

Easily Confused With

negligence:'Negligence' implies a legal or moral failure of duty, often with serious consequences, whereas 'inattention' is a broader, often less severe term referring simply to a lapse in focus or care.
distraction:'Distraction' refers to something that draws attention away, often an external cause, while 'inattention' is the resulting state of not paying attention, which may be caused by distraction or internal factors.
absentmindedness:'Absentmindedness' specifically suggests being lost in thought or preoccupied with other things, while 'inattention' is a broader term encompassing any failure to pay attention, intentional or not.
nountechnical

In psychology and medicine, a clinical symptom characterised by persistent difficulty in sustaining focus, listening, following instructions, or completing tasks, as seen in attention deficit disorders.

نفسیات اور طب میں، ایک طبی علامت جس میں مسلسل توجہ برقرار رکھنے، سننے، ہدایات پر عمل کرنے یا کام مکمل کرنے میں دشواری ہوتی ہے، جیسا کہ توجہ کی کمی کے امراض میں دیکھا جاتا ہے۔

عدمِ توجہ

adam-e-tawajjuh

Formal: قلتِ انتباہColloquial: دھیان نہ ہونا

Synonyms

attention deficitdistractibilityconcentration difficultycognitive inattentionmental wanderingتوجہ کا نقصذہنی بھٹکاؤارتکاز کی کمی

Antonyms

sustained attentionconcentrationfocusalertnesscognitive engagementمستقل توجہارتکازیکسوئیذہنی مشغولیت

Common Collocations

  • symptoms of inattention
  • inattention and hyperactivity
  • inattention in ADHD
  • clinical inattention
  • inattention subscale
  • inattention disorder
  • persistent inattention

Example Sentences

The psychiatrist noted significant inattention and impulsivity in the child's behaviour.

ماہر نفسیات نے بچے کے رویے میں نمایاں عدمِ توجہ اور جذباتی بے قابوپن نوٹ کیا۔

Maahir-e-nafsiyaat ne bachche ke rawayye mein numayan adam-e-tawajjuh aur jazbati be-qabu pan note kiya.

Inattention in the classroom can be an early indicator of underlying learning difficulties.

کمرۂ جماعت میں عدمِ توجہ، بنیادی تعلیمی مشکلات کی ابتدائی علامت ہو سکتی ہے۔

Kamra-e-jamaat mein adam-e-tawajjuh, bunyadi talimi mushkilaat ki ibtidai alamat ho sakti hai.

Medication can help manage inattention associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

دوائی توجہ کی کمی اور انتہائی سرگرمی کے عارضے سے منسلک عدمِ توجہ کو سنبھالنے میں مددگار ہو سکتی ہے۔

Dawai tawajjuh ki kami aur intehai sargharmi ke ariz se mansolik adam-e-tawajjuh ko sambhalne mein madadgar ho sakti hai.

Easily Confused With

hyperactivity:'Hyperactivity' refers to excessive physical or mental activity and restlessness, while 'inattention' refers specifically to the inability to sustain focus. Both are symptoms of ADHD but are distinct presentations.
learning disability:A 'learning disability' is a broader neurological condition affecting acquisition of skills; 'inattention' is a specific symptom that may coexist with or contribute to learning difficulties but is not synonymous with them.

Word Family

attend
verbتوجہ دینا / حاضر ہونا
attention
nounتوجہ
attentive
adjectiveتوجہ دینے والا
attentively
adverbتوجہ سے
inattentive
adjectiveبے توجہ / غافل
inattentively
adverbبے توجہی سے
inattentiveness
nounبے توجہی / غفلت

See Also

💡 Memory Tip

Break the word into 'IN' (not) + 'ATTENTION'. Think of it as 'NOT giving ATTENTION' — a simple reminder that the prefix 'in-' negates the word that follows. Just as 'inactive' means not active, 'inattention' means not giving attention.

Picture a student sitting in a classroom, gazing out the window at birds flying by, while the teacher writes important notes on the board — the student's mind has flown away with the birds. This scene of the wandering mind captures 'inattention' perfectly.

✍️ Urdu Poetry

غفلت میں گزری عمر تو کیا پایا آخرِ کار جو لمحہ گزر گیا وہ نہ آیا دوبارہ کبھی

Ghaflat mein guzri umr to kya paaya aakhir-e-kaar Jo lamha guzar gaya woh na aaya dobara kabhi

A life spent in inattention — what did you gain in the end? The moment that passed by, never returned again.

Unknown, Unverified

* Poetry attribution is AI-generated and may require verification.

🗣️ Urdu Proverb

غافل کو غم نہیں، ہوشیار کو آرام نہیں۔

Ghaafil ko gham nahin, hoshyaar ko aaraam nahin.

The inattentive one has no sorrow (for they notice nothing), but the vigilant one has no rest (for they worry about everything).

📖 Etymology

Origin: Latin / French "in- (not) + attentio (attention), from attendere (to stretch toward, heed)" — lack of stretching the mind toward something; failure to heed

First known use: early 18th century (c. 1710)

The word 'inattention' entered English in the early 18th century, formed by attaching the Latin negative prefix 'in-' to 'attention', which itself derived from Old French 'attention' and Latin 'attentio'. The root verb 'attendere' literally meant 'to stretch toward', reflecting the idea of directing mental effort. By the 18th century, 'inattention' was in common literary and pedagogical use, and in modern times it has gained clinical significance through its role in describing symptoms of ADHD and other attention-related disorders.