distracted

adjective

dis·​tract·​ed di-ˈstrak-təd 

1

: having one's thoughts or attention drawn away : unable to concentrate or give attention to something

a distracted driver

… everyone else … is too distracted to see how lost and yearning she has become …

—Richard Schickel

… used to get so distracted by cellphone conversations overheard on the bus that she couldn't focus on reading.

—Roni Caryn Rabin

2

: harassed, confused, or disturbed especially by strong feelings

a mind distracted by grief

… putting that poor gentleman through a course of questions that nearly drove him distracted.

—Louisa May Alcott

distractedly adverb

distractedness noun

Synonyms

• agitated
• distraught
• worried
• frightened
• frantic

Choose the Right Synonym for distracted

abstracted, preoccupied, absent, absent-minded, distracted mean inattentive to what claims or demands consideration.

abstracted implies absorption of the mind in something other than one's surroundings, and often suggests reflection on weighty matters.

walking about with an abstracted air

preoccupied often implies having one's attention so taken up by thoughts as to neglect others.

too preoccupied with her debts to enjoy the meal

absent stresses inability to fix the mind on present concerns due more to mental wandering than to concentration on other matters.

an absent stare

absent-minded implies that the mind is fixed elsewhere and often refers to a habit of abstractedness.

so absent-minded, he's been known to wear mismatched shoes

distracted may suggest an inability to concentrate caused by worry, sorrow, or anxiety.

was too distracted by grief to continue working

Examples of distracted in a Sentence

If you're feeling distracted, take a break.

she's been distracted about her son ever since he left on that polar expedition

Recent Examples on the Web

Travelers fixate on aviation flight safety, but the real threats are on the ground — from escalator accidents and fake Wi-Fi to distracted walking and theft. —Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025

However, Garraty runs back and convinces his friend to walk a little further with him before taking advantage of McVries' distracted state to do what McVries had planned to do for him. —Megan McCluskey, Time, 12 Sep. 2025

Prairie Village’s rules mirror Leawood’s, with similar outlines to age requirements for class 3 e-bikes in particular, yielding and giving audible signals to pedestrians, following manufacturer recommendations and not allowing distracted or reckless operation of the device. —Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 8 Sep. 2025

The Lincoln Nautilus is an underappreciated contender in the luxury midsize SUV market, part of a brand that seems tired, itself part of an automaker that seems perpetually distracted, itself part of an automotive ecosystem that is awash in luxury midsize SUVs from very, very tough competitors. —Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 2 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

from past participle of distract entry 1

First Known Use

1576, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for distracted

• abstracted
• attracted
• compacted
• contacted
• detracted
• diffracted
• enacted
• exacted
• extracted
• impacted
• protracted
• reacted