The word “attention” is frequently used to describe focus on something. When brevity is needed, it is sometimes necessary to abbreviate “attention” to save space. In this article we will teach you how to abbreviate the word “attention,” but let’s first start with a definition.
Definition of Attention
The word attention is usually defined as the action of applying your mind or focus to something. So whenever your thoughts are focused on a single topic you can say you are paying attention to it.
Attention however can also refer to a position that is common in the army, where soldiers keep their heels together, arms to the side and stand up straight waiting for the next command. The pose itself is known as attention in the military context.
How Do You Abbreviate Attention
When it comes to an abbreviation for attention there are two words you can use. Once again this is a peculiarity born out of common usage, in the sense that two different words became common abbreviations. But at the end of the day neither abbreviation has a different context and choosing one over the other is largely a matter of personal preferences.
If you need to abbreviate attention you can use either:
- Attn.
- Att.
Generally “attn.” is the more common of the two. Though both are widely recognized, the former just has seen some more use over the years.
Synonyms for Attention
If you need to look for a synonym for the word attention you actually have a lot to choose from, some of the most common synonyms for the word are: consideration, focus, scrutiny and immersion.
And due to how broad the term overall is any word that relates to thinking about something can be used as synonyms based on the context, so the list is even larger than it seems at first. But the above are generally speaking some of the best synonyms to use in day to day life.
When to Use the Abbreviation
In general, the right time to use the abbreviation for attention is whenever space is a major concern. Most abbreviations are only really used when their use becomes too repetitive or saving on the character account is a major concern. This largely means that business cards, business reports, newspaper titles, and headers are the main place to use attn. or att.
However there is a particular area where it’s really common to see either abbreviation being used, and that’s funnily enough mail. Letters have a line called the “Attention line” which is used mainly for shipments meant for a company building. In such cases the recipient line is the company name and the attention line has the name of the employee who is meant to receive the postage. In this context, attention is always abbreviated, whether you use either option.
So the right time to abbreviate attention is when space forces you to, unless it’s related to the postal system, in which case you will always abbreviate the word, that’s the general rule can follow.
Some Examples of When to Use Abbreviation
- Attn: John Doe.
- Experts assure you should pay more att. to your eating habits.
- Mary got reprimanded for not paying attn. to class
