Synonyms for "pay attention":
Similar meaning, slightly less formal:
* Listen
* Focus
* Concentrate
* Notice
* Observe
* Heed
* Attend to
* Take notice
* Take heed
More formal or specific:
* Cogitate: To think carefully and deeply.
* Discern: To perceive or recognize something, especially with effort.
* Heed: To pay attention to; to take notice of.
* Mind: To pay attention to; to be concerned about.
* Observe: To watch something carefully and pay attention to it.
* Perceive: To become aware of something through the senses.
* Scrutinize: To examine something carefully.
* Study: To examine something carefully in order to learn about it.
Antonyms for "pay attention":
Opposite meaning:
* Ignore
* Disregard
* Neglect
* Overlook
* Dismiss
* Disattend
* Tune out
* Forget
More specific:
* Distract: To draw someone's attention away from something.
* Divert: To turn someone's attention away from something.
* Disregard: To ignore something completely.
* Neglect: To fail to pay attention to something.
* Overlook: To fail to notice something.
The best synonym or antonym will depend on the context in which you are using the word.