distraction

American  

[dih-strak-shuhn] / dɪˈstræk ʃən /

noun

• distractions
  plural

1. the act of distracting.

2. the state of being distracted.

3. mental distress or derangement.

   That child will drive me to distraction.

   Synonyms:

   craziness, insanity, lunacy, madness

4. that which distracts, divides the attention, or prevents concentration.

   The distractions of the city interfere with my studies.

5. that which amuses, entertains, or diverts; amusement; entertainment.

   Fishing is his major distraction.

6. division or disorder caused by dissension; tumult.

---

distraction British  

/ dɪˈstrækʃən /

noun

1. the act or an instance of distracting or the state of being distracted

2. something that serves as a diversion or entertainment

3. an interruption; an obstacle to concentration

4. mental turmoil or madness

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• distractions
  plural

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

distraction distractions

Christian Horner is proving a distraction for Ferrari by "looking for a job", team principal Frederic Vasseur says.

From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026

Yet this year there is a distraction: Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026

“I want to apologize to our fans, employees, and my fellow NBA team owners for the distraction and distress this matter has caused, for which I accept responsibility as principal owner.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026

"Authentic creative expression is so much more than a pleasant distraction," continued Dr. Khalil.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 3, 2026

Danny remembered the squirrel that had caused the distraction to help him get out of that bus.

From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova

But mindfulness can become tougher as you age, when you’re beset by physical and mental distractions.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 25, 2026

Experts cite speeding and cellphone distractions as two of the biggest problems.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026

Finally, some downtime, with no distractions, to tackle “Infinite Jest.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

To put it mildly, Prince William is unlikely to welcome Harry and Meghan's move back to the UK and the distractions and sense of a rival team it will create.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

Six months is a long time for a family to tolerate itself without any outside distractions.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

Related Words

• aberration
• complication
• confusion
• disturbance
• diversion
• interference
• interruption