advertent

Advertent describes something or someone as attentive or heedful, as in Karine aced the test because she was advertent to all the professor’s lectures.

Not a very common term, advertent can generally be used to mean attentive, as in paying attention or thinking about something. Someone who is advertent about something is observing or considering their actions and their impact.

You’re more likely to see advertent with its more-common antonym, inadvertent. While it means inattentive or unheedful, inadvertent is most often used to mean unintentional. In this situation, advertent would be used to mean the opposite idea—that is, intentional. When something is done advertently, it means that it was done in order to reach a desired outcome.

Example: Theo lied about what he was doing Saturday night in an advertent to keep the surprise party a surprise.

The first records of the term advertent come from around the 1660s. It ultimately comes from the Latin advertere, meaning “to pay attention.”

What are some other forms related to advertent?

• advertently (adverb)

What are some synonyms for advertent?

• observant
• discerning
• mindful
• attentive
• perceptive

What are some words that share a root or word element with advertent? 

• inadvertent
• inadvertently
• advertise
• advert

What are some words that often get used in discussing advertent?

• heed
• purpose
• control

Infrequently used, advertent describes someone or something that is attentive or intentional.

That whistle was so advertent

— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) May 25, 2018

OR… Hear me out, people should mind their own business and not dictate how women should dress. Be it advertent or inadvertent, we have no right to make anyone uncomfortable on how they're dressed. https://t.co/klzI1L81ty

— Run It Back Tshepo!! (@Tshepo_XiX) February 18, 2022

Oh it was advertent. #settlersofcatan RT @MMazur83: @JeremyWGR did you just inadvertently reference boardgame creator Klaus Teuber??

— Jeremy White (@JeremyWGR) March 2, 2015

Which of the following is NOT a synonym for advertent?

A. attentive
B. purposeful
C. inattentive
D. observant