Tennis has become a welcome distraction for Rudy and his whole family.
There are too many distractions in this office - it's hard for me to get anything done.
EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
But in this case, enough variations on the simple alternatives exist to drive a reasonable person to distraction.
Other people's talk was just a distraction.
The nearest distraction is probably the Concord Turnpike, a half mile north of the pond.
The short-term approach, distraction, is simple.
They lived inside a person's body and wriggled about until their presence drove him to distraction.
This will reduce distractions and help you concentrate upon your bodily feelings.
Collocations
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES►drive somebody to distraction
(=make someone feel very upset or annoyed)· She was being driven to distraction by her husband’s bad habits.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE►other
· An if we couldn't afford the price of admission, we found other distractions.· Both are completely geared to novices, with plenty of other distractions if walking the plank doesn't suit.· A useful device is to find an empty room, away from all your papers, documents, and other distractions.· Make it a firm arrangement faithfully followed, and do not allow all the other urgent distractions to crush out this opportunity.· It would have driven every other landlady to distraction but Wilson was determined not to be bested.
VERB►drive
· They lived inside a person's body and wriggled about until their presence drove him to distraction.· Teachers and parents, of course, are driven to distraction.· He, poor fellow, was being driven to distraction by the pain in his right shoulder.· His constant invasion of her privacy was driving her to distraction.· And just like in the Kronenbourg ad she can't stop driving men to distraction.· A town is being driven to distraction by emergency stops and three point turns.· By the end of last year, when they had three of the children, he had been almost driven to distraction.
►provide
· The Harlequin man couldn't have provided a better distraction.· Jarvis's gift of extra rope provided a distraction.· It does nothing whatsoever for the music and provides a distraction as unwelcome as it is contextually inappropriate.
Phrases
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY►drive somebody to distraction
Mrs. Swanson was being driven to distraction by her mischievous son.
And just like in the Kronenbourg ad she can't stop driving men to distraction.
His constant invasion of her privacy was driving her to distraction.
Or will his lack of ambition drive you to distraction?
They lived inside a person's body and wriggled about until their presence drove him to distraction.
Zoe talks her dad into letting her have driving lessons but she and Janine drive Garry to distraction.
1[countable, uncountable] something that stops you paying attention to what you are doing: I study in the library as there are too many distractions at home.distraction from Demands for equality were seen as a distraction from more serious issues.2drive somebody to distraction to continue annoying or upsetting someone very much: The baby’s constant crying drove me to distraction.3[countable] old-fashioned a pleasant activity