paid attention
Focused on something
Paid attention is the past tense of pay attention, meaning to focus one's mind or direct one's awareness toward something.
The phrase treats attention as a cost—something requiring effort to give: I paid attention in class but still failed the test.
To not pay attention is to be distracted or disengaged: He never paid attention to what she was saying.
- listenedPerceived sound intentionally
- all earsFully attentive to speech
- heardPerceived by ear
- gave heedAttended to carefully
- observedPerceived through attention
took notice · heeded · noting · concentrated · watchful · focused · zeroed in · tuned in · hearkened · discernment · vigilance · awareness · absorbed · mindfulness · alert · sharp eye · regard · concern
paid attentionignored
Purposely not noticed
tuned out · zoned out · spaced out · disregarded · daydreamed
paid attentionturned a blind eye
Feigned unawareness deliberately
looked the other way · brushed off · dismissed · tuned out · shut out
paid attentionignored
Purposely not noticed
neglected · brushed off · disengaged · checked out · blew off
paid, paying, payable, payment, payments, payers, repaid, repaying, repayment