considerate
kuhn-SID-er-it
/kənˈsɪd.ər.ət/
careful not to cause inconvenience or hurt to others; thoughtful of other people's rights and feelings
Reflects practical, everyday mindfulness in social behavior—like keeping noise down or remembering small preferences.
The story behind the word. From Latin 'considerare' (to examine closely, originally derived from star-gazing astrologers). Over centuries in English, the act of 'closely examining' shifted into being 'mindfully attentive' to those around you.
Word relationships
- thoughtful: Thoughtful can mean deep in reflection or caring; considerate focuses specifically on mindfulness toward others.
- courteous: Courteous stresses polished manners and etiquette, whereas considerate stresses genuine attentiveness to feelings.
- inconsiderate: Lacking concern for the rights or feelings of others.
- thoughtless: Acting without thinking of consequences for others.
Commonly confused with
- considerable: Considerable means large or significant in amount; considerate means thoughtful and mindful of people.
Word family
- consideration (noun): careful thought; empathy for others
- considerately (adverb): in a considerate manner
Collocations
- considerate host
- considerate neighbor
- extremely considerate
- considerate gesture
Idioms & expressions
- keep someone in mind
Example sentences
- "It was very considerate of Marcus to lower his music late at night while his neighbors slept." Neighborhood relations
- "A considerate coworker cleans up shared spaces and notifies team members before deadlines change." Workplace etiquette
Memory hook
CONSIDER-ate = You CONSIDER others before you act. Mindful of others' comfort.
When not to use
Do not confuse with 'considerable', which means large in size, amount, or extent.
Fun facts
- The Latin root 'sidus' (star) links 'considerate' etymologically to 'desire' and 'sidereal'.
Related words
Explore more words
attentiveness, accommodating, courtesy, observant, prudent, conscientious
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