observant

observant — adjective

1. able to spot small details or changes in your surroundings that other people wou

1.形容詞C2
釋義

able to spot small details or changes in your surroundings that other people would normally miss, such as a stain on a coat, a slight limp, or a subtle change in someone's mood.

例句

Detective Ramirez is so observant that she noticed the muddy footprint behind the sofa.

predicative use after linking verb 'be'

Mei is a quiet but very observant child who copies the way her grandmother folds dumplings.

attributive use modifying a noun

同義詞
  • perceptive

    stresses understanding what is noticed, not just seeing it

  • alert

    more about being ready for danger or change in the moment

  • sharp-eyed

    informal; focused on physical sight rather than insight

  • attentive

    stresses careful focus on a task or person, not the wider scene

反義詞
  • oblivious

    completely fails to notice what is around them

  • inattentive

    milder; not paying enough attention at the moment

文法句型

observant of + noun

用法筆記

Often appears in the pattern 'observant of + noun'. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense describes a personal quality (paying attention to the world around you), whereas sense 2 describes following religious practice.

常見錯誤

❌I am observing the small details on the painting.
✅I am observant of the small details on the painting.
💡'observe' is a verb meaning to watch; 'observant' is the adjective describing the trait.
❌She is very observative.
✅She is very observant.
💡'observative' is not a standard English word.

2. describing a person who lives by the practices of their faith — for example, goi

2.形容詞
釋義

describing a person who lives by the practices of their faith — for example, going to temple, fasting during Ramadan, or keeping the Sabbath.

例句

David grew up in an observant Jewish family that lit candles every Friday evening.

attributive use: observant + religion adjective + family

Her grandfather is a deeply observant Muslim who prays five times a day.

intensifier: deeply observant

同義詞
  • devout

    stresses inner faith and devotion, not only following rules

  • pious

    can sound old-fashioned or even slightly negative

  • practising

    everyday word in British English for someone who actively follows their faith

  • religious

    broader; covers belief in general, not specifically following customs

反義詞
  • non-observant

    the standard negation in religious contexts

  • lapsed

    used of someone who once followed a faith but no longer does

文法句型

observant + religion-noun

用法筆記

Almost always paired with the name of a religion or believer (Jewish, Muslim, Catholic, Hindu). Modifiers like 'strictly' or 'deeply' are very common. Distinguish from sense 1: a person can be observant of details (sense 1) without being religiously observant (sense 2).

常見錯誤

❌He is observant about his religion.
✅He is an observant Muslim.
💡this sense is normally used directly before the religion or believer noun, not with 'about'.
❌She is observant in Christianity.
✅She is an observant Christian.
💡pair the adjective directly with the believer noun.