distracted

[ dih-strak-tid ]

adjective

1. inattentive; preoccupied.
2. having the attention diverted:

   She tossed several rocks to the far left and slipped past the distracted sentry.

3. rendered incapable of behaving, reacting, etc., in a normal manner, as by worry, remorse, or the like; irrational; disturbed.

distracted

/ dɪˈstræktɪd /

adjective

1. bewildered; confused
2. mad

Derived Forms

• disˈtractedness, noun
• disˈtractedly, adverb

Other Words From

• dis·tracted·ly adverb
• dis·tracted·ness noun
• nondis·tracted adjective
• nondis·tracted·ly adverb
• undis·tracted adjective
• undis·tracted·ly adverb
• undis·tracted·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of distracted¹

First recorded in 1580–90; distract + -ed ²

Example Sentences

For less-than-hateful remarks, where no moral stand is indicated, try, “I’m less distracted when I sit alone.”

From Washington Post

We can’t be optimizing against empty rooms and a distracted audience.

From Digiday

A cook will get distracted and lose track of something on the stove.

From Washington Post

I shared my internal struggles with close friends and family and discovered that I know multiple people who have been hit by distracted or reckless drivers.

From Outside Online

I’ve always been too distracted to be the kind of fan who remembers all the details of specific games.

From Ozy

Employers—both women and men—think mothers are distracted by family duties.

From The Daily Beast

Somebody yanks Chan and elbows him and he is momentarily distracted trying to apprehend his assailant.

From The Daily Beast

First we laugh, then we begin to wonder why the man was so distracted that he didn't notice he'd taken the doorknob with him.

From The Daily Beast

At the moment when the remaining gunmen were distracted by a cellphone call, the five survivors bolted into the darkness.

From The Daily Beast

If anything, he is apologetic that he is being distracted with incoming emails about it.

From The Daily Beast

She observed his pale looks, and the distracted wandering of his eyes; but she would not notice either.

From Project Gutenberg

Louis had covered his raging temples with his hand, and he hastened forward with distracted swiftness.

From Project Gutenberg

The sections, the tribunals, the clubs were to suspend their sittings, that the public attention might not be distracted.

From Project Gutenberg

When he reached his own little room, he sat for some time, distracted by conflicting thoughts.

From Project Gutenberg

Miss Winter has set Mary to read 'To be, or not to be,' and it would have driven me distracted to have stayed there.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• inattentive
• preoccupied