distract

[ dih-strakt ]

verb (used with object)

1. to draw away or divert, as the mind or attention:

   The music distracted him from his work.

2. to disturb or trouble greatly in mind; beset:

   Grief distracted him.

   Synonyms: distress, torment, pain, agitate, bewilder

3. to provide a pleasant diversion for; amuse; entertain:

   I'm bored with bridge, but golf still distracts me.

4. to separate or divide by dissension or strife.

adjective

1. Obsolete. distracted.

distract

/ dɪˈstrækt /

verb

1. often passive to draw the attention of (a person) away from something
2. to divide or confuse the attention of (a person)
3. to amuse or entertain
4. to trouble greatly
5. to make mad

Derived Forms

• disˈtractingly, adverb
• disˈtractively, adverb
• disˈtracting, adjective
• disˈtractible, adjective
• disˌtractiˈbility, noun
• disˈtractive, adjective
• disˈtracter, noun

Other Words From

• dis·tracti·ble adjective
• dis·tracting·ly adverb
• nondis·tracting adjective
• nondis·tracting·ly adverb
• undis·tracting adjective
• undis·tracting·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of distract¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin distractus “drawn apart,” past participle of distrahere “to draw apart,” from dis- dis- ¹ + trahere “to draw”

Word History and Origins

Origin of distract¹

C14: from Latin distractus perplexed, from distrahere to pull in different directions, from dis- ¹+ trahere to drag

Example Sentences

Its contemporary, sturdy design won’t distract you from the task at hand, but helps easily recall a date while you’re taking phone calls or mapping out your month.

From Popular-Science

They may have the sun in their eyes or become distracted by a mosquito.

From Science News For Students

Yet many business leaders are distracted from that mission at best—and, at worst, perpetuating bias themselves.

From Quartz

If the ellipse persists in your visual system, your decision between the two should be slower, because the coin’s ellipse would distract you from the actual ellipse.

From Nautilus

Getting bogged down on any specific ranking factor is not a good idea and can distract you from your business goals.

From Search Engine Land

However we strain to distract ourselves, our consciousness of death heightens our awareness of evil.

From The Daily Beast

“I reached out, grabbing him, trying to get his attention, trying to distract him,” Valentino told The Post.

From The Daily Beast

They still just distract us from generally more substantive topics in need of our attention.

From The Daily Beast

The discussion of race in the league just serves to distract from why players misbehave.

From The Daily Beast

In the evenings brilliant slashes of purple and pink distract the horizon as the sun makes its way towards the sea.

From The Daily Beast

He was so full of pretty ways and dainty devices for to distract my mind, I never thought of counting.

From Project Gutenberg

Irresponsible as he is, he must be allowed to move about without anything to distract his attention.

From Project Gutenberg

Home, where nothing comes to distract me from my gnawing griefs and almost intolerable thoughts.

From Project Gutenberg

My time was chiefly spent in talking, and listening to the conversation of others, in order to distract my attention.

From Project Gutenberg

He quickly loosed a deer which was tied to his saddle, but the prey was not sufficient to distract them from their purpose.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• amuse
• bewilder
• detract
• disturb
• divert
• entertain
• fluster
• mislead
• perplex
• puzzle
• trouble