distract

[ dih-strakt ]
See synonyms for: distractdistracteddistractingdistracts on Thesaurus.com

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.

  1. to provide a pleasant diversion for; amuse; entertain: I'm bored with bridge, but golf still distracts me.

  2. to separate or divide by dissension or strife.

adjective
  1. Obsolete. distracted.

Origin of distract

1
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”

Other words for distract

Other words from distract

  • 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

Words Nearby distract

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How to use distract in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for distract

distract

/ (dɪˈstrækt) /


verb(tr)
  1. (often passive) to draw the attention of (a person) away from something

  2. to divide or confuse the attention of (a person)

  1. to amuse or entertain

  2. to trouble greatly

  3. to make mad

Origin of distract

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

Derived forms of distract

  • distracter, noun
  • distractible, adjective
  • distractibility, noun
  • distracting, adjective
  • distractingly, adverb
  • distractive, adjective
  • distractively, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012