distract
Americanverb (used with object)
-
distracts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
distracted,
past participle, past
-
distracting
present participle
-
to draw away or divert, as the mind or attention.
The music distracted him from his work.
-
to disturb or trouble greatly in mind; beset.
Grief distracted him.
-
to provide a pleasant diversion for; amuse; entertain.
I'm bored with bridge, but golf still distracts me.
-
to separate or divide by dissension or strife.
adjective
verb
-
(often passive) to draw the attention of (a person) away from something
-
to divide or confuse the attention of (a person)
-
to amuse or entertain
-
to trouble greatly
-
to make mad
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
distracternoun
-
distractibilitynoun
-
distractibleadjective
-
distractingadjective
-
distractiveadjective
-
nondistractingadjective
-
undistractingadjective
-
distractinglyadverb
-
distractivelyadverb
-
nondistractinglyadverb
-
undistractinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
distractsimple
-
distractssimple
-
have distractedperfect
-
has distractedperfect
-
am distractingprogressive
-
are distractingprogressive
-
is distractingprogressive
-
have been distractingperfect progressive
-
has been distractingperfect progressive
Past
-
distractedsimple
-
had distractedperfect
-
was distractingprogressive
-
were distractingprogressive
-
had been distractingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of distract
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”
Explanation
Distract is what you do when you draw someone’s attention — Hey! Look! Over there! Oh. Never mind. What was I saying? That’s right: distract is to draw attention away from what someone is doing. Distract comes from the Latin word for “draw apart.” It can be annoying when someone or something distracts you. A loud car alarm or a talkative friend might distract you when you’re watching your favorite TV show. But being distracted is not always bad. Playing a round of miniature golf might distract you from feeling sad about the death of your parakeet.
Vocabulary lists containing distract
List 3
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
100 SAT Words Beginning with "D"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"In the Spotlight," Vocabulary from the informational text
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
She had bottled up her emotions for months, afraid that leaning in to them would draw unwanted attention and distract her from the task of helping her son.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
These tools may offer real benefits even as they addict and distract us.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
With mounting Russian attacks on the capital, his family is in "constant stress" and he tries to distract himself by planting tomatoes.
From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026
Galliano added that he did not want "to distract from the remarkable work" of the Met's Costume Institute and said he recognised and respected that "an exhibition honouring my work would be painful for some".
From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026
“I’ll distract it. You all go. Get Wielaf up top.”
From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack
Ultimately, the fixation on Hasan Piker distracts from more substantive issues.
From Salon ● May 2, 2026
The attacker's unusual position drags Van Dijk away from the right side of the pitch and distracts him as PSG build up to what resulted in a goal.
From BBC ● Apr. 28, 2026
You know to turn the faucet in the bathroom off while rinsing out your swimsuit but something distracts you.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 2026
“Who are we kidding, there is no chance that this print distracts investors from the ongoing circus,” Benchmark analyst Daniel L. Kurnos wrote in a research note last week.
From Barron's ● Jan. 20, 2026
“No. One of us distracts the dragon. Two of us look.”
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
While Jesus is engaged with the world outside himself, Mary’s state is one of remote, distracted inwardness.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026
Maher said the two high-profile controversies have distracted the conversation around the death penalty away from the fundamental question of whether the US should use capital punishment in the first place.
From Barron's ● Oct. 19, 2026
The MLA added that "opportunities that educate, inspire and broaden horizons are quietly lost while Stormont remains distracted from the issues that matter most to families".
From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026
“I just get distracted by everything,” he told the New York Times in 2023.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026
Before Mary Lou could answer, Jeremy was distracted by Tiamat launching herself into the air.
From "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" by Bruce Coville
Probably because the danger it poses to the economy is so distracting.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
Others feel this is an overreaction - distracting from how difficult it is to secure a job - or even just get an interview in the first place.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
Owens herself manages to do a bang-up job of distracting people from the way she doesn’t practice what she preaches.
From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026
These were almost as distracting as the dancing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
Benji couldn’t imagine anyone doing work in here—too distracting.
From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
