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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

distractibility

The ability to let ideas move in unexpected directions can contribute to creative insights, but similar patterns are also associated with distractibility, mind-wandering, and other behaviors frequently seen in ADHD.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 3, 2026

Dashboard designers need to test new controls by using them blindfolded to simulate minimum distractibility for drivers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026

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

Introducing Sophie in her adult distractibility and distress and then going backward to show her family’s life in prewar Europe is a rewarding strategy.

From New York Times ● Dec. 1, 2020

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

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