distraction

dis·trac·tion

noun \di-ˈstrak-shən\

Definition of DISTRACTION

1

: the act of distracting or the state of being distracted; especially : mental confusion <driven to distraction>

2

: something that distracts; especially : amusement <a harmless distraction>

— dis·trac·tive \-ˈstrak-tiv\ adjective

Examples of DISTRACTION

1. It was hard to work with so many distractions.
2. One of them created a distraction while the other grabbed the money.
3. A weekend at the beach was a good distraction from her troubles.
4. Their endless chatter drove her to distraction.

First Known Use of DISTRACTION

15th century

Related to DISTRACTION

Synonyms

bafflement, bamboozlement, befuddlement, bemusement, bewilderedness, bewilderment, confusedness, discombobulation, confusion, fog, head-scratching, maze [chiefly dialect], muddle, mystification, perplexity, puzzlement, tangle, whirl

Antonyms

bore, bummer, downer, drag

Related Words

abashment, discomfiture, disconcertment, embarrassment, mortification; agitation, chagrin, discomfort, dismay, disquiet, distress, disturbance, perturbation, upset; bother, commotion, dither, flurry, fluster, fuss, stew, turmoil

Near Antonyms

assurance, certainty, certitude, confidence, conviction, positiveness, sureness

Rhymes with DISTRACTION

abstraction, attraction, bolt-action, class action, compaction, contraction, cross action, detraction, diffraction, exaction, extraction, impaction, inaction, infraction, job action, live-action, olfaction, protraction, reaction, redaction, refraction, retraction, stop-action, subtraction, transaction

dis·trac·tion

noun \dis-ˈtrak-shən\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of DISTRACTION

1

a : diversion of the attention b : mental derangement

2

: excessive separation (as from improper traction) of fracture fragments

—dis·tract \dis-ˈtrakt\ (audio pronunciation) transitive verb