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.

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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

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• distractions
  plural

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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

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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

"They gave me a link to the outside world and were a distraction from what was going on in my personal life, looking after my mum at that time."

From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026

OK, time to pivot from the slow debasement of public service to a public-service announcement from my colleagues about what to read and listen to if you’re looking for a distraction:

From Slate ● Oct. 8, 2026

Once Iñárritu peels the skin off, he resumes taking cheap shots at the exposed wound, reducing our connection to art to a distraction.

From Salon ● Oct. 5, 2026

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026

She was by far the smallest human, and because of her distraction, she did not so much walk forward as stumble, tripping over the uneven earth.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

Once the listening room doors open, all drinks, distractions and shoes must be left at the door.

From Salon ● Oct. 24, 2026

People who achieve their goals avoid the distractions and temptations that get in the way.

From Slate ● Oct. 17, 2026

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

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 25, 2026

Some also point to past warnings from Amodei and others about likely job losses associated with AI adoption as marketing stunts, saying they have proven to be overblown or distractions from other problems.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026

Everyone expected him to get straight As his first semester, but for someone who had lived in a bus or on a boat for the last ten years, there were too many distractions.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French

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Related Words

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

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