distract
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.
Obsolete. distracted.
Origin of distract
1Other words for distract
Other words from distract
- dis·tract·i·ble, adjective
- dis·tract·ing·ly, adverb
- non·dis·tract·ing, adjective
- non·dis·tract·ing·ly, adverb
- un·dis·tract·ing, adjective
- un·dis·tract·ing·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for distract
/ (dɪˈstrækt) /
(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
Origin of distract
1Derived forms of distract
- distracter, noun
- distractible, adjective
- distractibility, noun
- distracting, adjective
- distractingly, adverb
- distractive, adjective
- distractively, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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