distract
1 of 2verb
dis·tract di-ˈstrakt 
distracted; distracting; distracts
transitive verb
1
a
: to draw or direct (something, such as someone's attention) to a different object or in different directions at the same time
was distracted by a sudden noise
b
: to turn aside : divert
refused to be distracted from her purpose
2
: to stir up or confuse with conflicting emotions or motives
distractibility
di-ˌstrak-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē
noun distractible adjective
or less commonly distractable
di-ˈstrak-tə-bəl
distractingly
di-ˈstrak-tiŋ-lē
adverb distract
2 of 2adjective
dis·tract di-ˈstrakt
ˈdis-ˌtrakt
archaic
: insane, mad
Synonyms
Verb
- abstract
- call off
- detract
- divert
- throw off
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb You sneak into his room while I distract him. He was distracted from his studies. The students are easily distracted, especially when they're tired. I was distracted by a loud noise. The local story distracted attention from news of the war overseas.
Recent Examples on the Web
Andrew Restuccia, WSJ, 23 Aug. 2022 Dave Chappelle does not want the audience member who assaulted him onstage to distract from his history-making run at the Hollywood Bowl. Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 May 2022 Which are all necessary to distract from such toothless inside-baseball Hollywood satire, such witless, outdated pandemic observation and the sheer Saharan humor desert that is the dialogue. Jessica Kiang, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2022 Smith does his absolute best to wring a little fun out of his character, dancing around in smoking jackets and throwing himself into every action scene with aplomb, but it’s not enough to distract from the overall dour tone. David Sims, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2022 Ukrainian officials denounced the proposal as propaganda, and said it was meant to distract attention from the Russian shelling of areas where civilians are trying to flee. New York Times, 7 Mar. 2022 Then, an even more awkward situation happens to distract from that awkward situation. Nick Romano, EW.com, 28 Feb. 2022 At that point, firefighters used a white sheet to distract the deer while two others on ladders attempted to free the wild animal. John Benson, cleveland, 2 Sep. 2022 But those things aren’t necessarily identical, and Blumberg argues that equating them could distract us from understanding the role of REM sleep. Ed Yong, The Atlantic, 25 Aug. 2022 See More
Verb
Republicans counter that the White House is focusing on Mr. Trump to distract from the administration’s not doing enough to address high inflation and voters’ concerns about the economy. Andrew Restuccia, WSJ, 23 Aug. 2022 Dave Chappelle does not want the audience member who assaulted him onstage to distract from his history-making run at the Hollywood Bowl. Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 May 2022 Which are all necessary to distract from such toothless inside-baseball Hollywood satire, such witless, outdated pandemic observation and the sheer Saharan humor desert that is the dialogue. Jessica Kiang, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2022 Smith does his absolute best to wring a little fun out of his character, dancing around in smoking jackets and throwing himself into every action scene with aplomb, but it’s not enough to distract from the overall dour tone. David Sims, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2022 Ukrainian officials denounced the proposal as propaganda, and said it was meant to distract attention from the Russian shelling of areas where civilians are trying to flee. New York Times, 7 Mar. 2022 Then, an even more awkward situation happens to distract from that awkward situation. Nick Romano, EW.com, 28 Feb. 2022 At that point, firefighters used a white sheet to distract the deer while two others on ladders attempted to free the wild animal. John Benson, cleveland, 2 Sep. 2022 But those things aren’t necessarily identical, and Blumberg argues that equating them could distract us from understanding the role of REM sleep. Ed Yong, The Atlantic, 25 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English, from Latin distractus, past participle of distrahere, literally, to draw apart, from dis- + trahere to draw
First Known Use
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b
Adjective
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing distract
Kids Definition
distract
verb
dis·tract di-ˈstrakt
distracted; distracting
: to draw a person's thoughts or attention to something else
The TV distracts me when I'm studying.
distracts
verb
1
as in diverts
to draw the attention or mind to something else we were distracted from our discussion by the noise outside Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- diverts
- detracts
- amuses
- abstracts
- throws off
- entertains
- strays
- wanders
- calls off
- beguiles
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- focuses
- concentrates
- focusses
2
as in disturbs
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy distracted by the looming tax deadline Synonyms & Similar Words
- disturbs
- bothers
- angers
- worries
- concerns
- alarms
- unsettles
- agitates
- annoys
- derails
- distresses
- haunts
- perturbs
- confuses
- irritates
- plagues
- upsets
- unhinges
- undoes
- disquiets
- dismays
- embarrasses
- ails
- frazzles
- rattles
- discomforts
- fusses
- aggravates
- exasperates
- exercises
- discourages
- harasses
- discomposes
- pesters
- distempers
- irks
- vexes
- riles
- flurries
- bedevils
- piques
- harries
- gets
- flusters
- weirds out
- alarums
- bugs
- chafes
- confounds
- disconcerts
- hagrides
- grates
- freaks (out)
- peeves
- mortifies
- disheartens
- demoralizes
- frets
- discomfits
- unnerves
- galls
- nettles
- puts off
- puts out
- daunts
- fazes
- chivies
- chivvies
- discountenances
- jars
- dispirits
- abashes
- shakes up
- nonpluses
- nonplusses
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- calms
- quiets
- soothes
- settles
- composes
- alleviates
- assuages
- allays
- tranquilizes
- appeases
- placates
- pacifies
- mollifies
- tranquillizes
- conciliates
- propitiates