distractibility

American  

[dih-strak-tuh-bil-i-tee] / dɪˌstræk təˈbɪl ɪ ti /

noun

Psychiatry.

1. inability to sustain one's attention or attentiveness, which is rapidly diverted from one topic to another: a symptom of a variety of mental disorders, as manic disorder, schizophrenia, or anxiety states.

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Etymology

Origin of distractibility

First recorded in 1900–05; distract + -ibility

Example Sentences

The discovery suggests that efforts to improve working memory and tackle distractibility in children during their crucial early months may reduce or prevent cognitive disadvantages later in life.

From Science Daily • Oct. 26, 2023

Accept your distractibility The first step to mitigating distractions when working from home is to accept that you become distracted because humans are distractible.

From The Verge • Aug. 4, 2022

There are many factors I don’t know: Does her distractibility hurt her schooling and friendships?

From Washington Post • Dec. 20, 2019

They learned that stimulants are exceptionally successful at mollifying the impulsivity and distractibility that characterize classic A.D.H.D., but that they can cause insomnia, increased blood pressure and elevated body temperature.

From New York Times • Feb. 3, 2013

Both had inherited their father’s thick black hair and espresso eyes, but Finn also inherited his mother’s delicate features, her dreamy distractibility.

From "Bone Gap" by Laura Ruby