distracted
Americanadjective
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having the attention diverted.
She tossed several rocks to the far left and slipped past the distracted sentry.
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rendered incapable of behaving, reacting, etc., in a normal manner, as by worry, remorse, or the like; irrational; disturbed.
adjective
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bewildered; confused
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mad
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of distracted
Explanation
When you're distracted, something else has your attention, making you lose focus or become nervous. If a dog keeps barking or a car alarm won't stop going off, it's easy to become distracted: annoyed and not very focused on what you're trying to do. We also say people are distracted when they're worried about something. If you think you might lose your job, you'll be distracted by thinking about it. Knowing a family member has a disease can make you distracted with worries. When you're distracted, your mind is somewhere else.
Vocabulary lists containing distracted
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 16–19
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Because of Winn-Dixie
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Out of the Dust
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
That’s what happened to Microsoft after its antitrust showdown with the Justice Department: Distracted, the software giant struggled to adapt to the impact of internet search and smartphones.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 11, 2023
Distracted by the boarder, she dropped her food and stretched her head up to get a better look.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 20, 2023
Distracted, I hit a cement pillar in my building's garage, my first-ever car accident.
From Salon • Mar. 25, 2023
In a portion of the police report detailing the circumstances of the incident, a field listed “Driver Distracted By” was filled in with a brief description that said, “Looked But Did Not See.”
From Washington Post • Feb. 26, 2022
He was going to attend the first ever Distracted Driving Summit, which was organized by Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
