distraction
Americannoun
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distractions
plural
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the act of distracting.
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the state of being distracted.
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mental distress or derangement.
That child will drive me to distraction.
-
that which distracts, divides the attention, or prevents concentration.
The distractions of the city interfere with my studies.
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that which amuses, entertains, or diverts; amusement; entertainment.
Fishing is his major distraction.
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division or disorder caused by dissension; tumult.
noun
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the act or an instance of distracting or the state of being distracted
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something that serves as a diversion or entertainment
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an interruption; an obstacle to concentration
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mental turmoil or madness
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of distraction
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin distractiōn-, stem of distractiō “separation”; equivalent to distract + -ion
Explanation
A distraction is something that takes your attention away from what you're supposed to be doing. If you just can't keep from checking your email every ten seconds, that's a distraction that's going to interfere with doing your homework. A distraction can also be a pleasant break. If you're worried about your dance recital tomorrow, watching a mindless action flick may be a welcome distraction that helps you relax. Has anyone ever told you, "You're driving me to distraction"? When you're driven to distraction, you're so agitated you feel like you're going crazy. Distraction comes from the Latin dis-, "apart," and trahere, "drag." So distraction is when you're dragged away from your task or from your worries.
Vocabulary lists containing distraction
Smoke and Mirrors: The Lingo of Illusion and Deception
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Dear Martin
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When Stars Are Scattered
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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.
See Examples For:
Many investors abandon it exactly when they need it most: at the top of a cycle, when the thing they already own is working and everything else looks like a distraction.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026
Such volatility is exactly the kind of distraction that frustrated Musk during the grueling years it took him to make Tesla profitable.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026
The awards stuff hasn’t really kicked into overdrive yet, so it hasn’t been too much of a distraction.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
Mauricio Zambrano has meanwhile built a makeshift gym where cement and metal pipes serve as weights, providing welcome distraction to the former fighter.
From Barron's ● Aug. 4, 2026
Perhaps his father would create some kind of distraction and allow him to slip through...perhaps...
From "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman
“Same as music, I always gravitate to music that helps you think. We live in a world filled with millions of distractions and a combination of things that block your thinking.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026
I did miss TV and novels—narrative, fantasy, creative expression, all of which, in meditation practice, are considered distractions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026
"I do like to have a full stomach on a tightrope; it's less distractions you know," he added.
From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2026
How do you pay attention to this amid so many distractions?
From Salon ● Jun. 15, 2026
We don’t need any distractions on this journey.
From "The Crossover" by Kwame Alexander
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.
