distraction

noun

dis·trac·tion | \ di-ˈstrak-shən

Definition of distraction

1 : something that distracts : an object that directs one's attention away from something else turned off her phone to limit distractions One created a distraction while the other grabbed the money. especially : amusement a harmless distraction a book of word puzzles and other distractions

2 : the act of distracting or the state of being distracted especially : mental confusion driven to distraction by their endless chatter

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Examples of distraction in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web Anyone doing business in Germany will tell you that a heavy focus on stakeholder interest is a distraction that can negatively impact the viability of a company. — Robert Peres, Fortune, "Germany offers a cautionary tale for Biden’s pro-labor agenda," 24 Feb. 2021 Worried about ancillary factors becoming a distraction or even a hinderance, Bickerstaff has continued to preach team over self. — Chris Fedor, cleveland, "Collin Sexton focused on ‘must-win game’ against Atlanta Hawks, not All-Star announcement," 23 Feb. 2021 Helping their children learn remotely during the pandemic has driven many parents to distraction. — The Economist, "Kitchen-table classrooms Covid-19 has persuaded some parents that home-schooling is better," 22 Feb. 2021 Meanwhile, there wasn’t a ton of pop culture to offer distraction beyond new trailers for Mortal Kombat and Cruella. — Angela Watercutter, Wired, "The Mars Landing Was the Best Thing on TV This Week," 19 Feb. 2021 Indeed, whereas a sitting president might raise concerns about distraction from their official duties, that concern is obviously inapplicable here. — Grace Segers, CBS News, "What to expect at Trump's second impeachment trial," 9 Feb. 2021 Enhanced technology is intended to minimize driver distraction and provide vehicle improvements with over-the-air updates, now used by Tesla and a familiar process with cell phones. — Phoebe Wall Howard, Detroit Free Press, "New Ford, Google deal means big tech upgrades for drivers: What to know," 1 Feb. 2021 Some law enforcement officials have suggested the pipe bombs may have been a deliberate distraction meant to siphon law enforcement away from the Capitol building at the crucial moment. — Devlin Barrett, Star Tribune, "FBI probe of U.S. Capitol riot finds evidence detailing coordination of an assault," 30 Jan. 2021 Some law enforcement officials have suggested the pipe bombs may have been a deliberate distraction meant to siphon law enforcement away from the Capitol building at the crucial moment. — Devlin Barrett, BostonGlobe.com, "FBI probe of US Capitol riot finds evidence detailing coordination of an assault," 30 Jan. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'distraction.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

27 Feb 2021

Cite this Entry

“Distraction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/distraction. Accessed 3 Mar. 2021.

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More Definitions for distraction

distraction

noun

English Language Learners Definition of distraction

: something that makes it difficult to think or pay attention

: something that amuses or entertains you so that you do not think about problems, work, etc.

: a state in which you are very annoyed or upset

See the full definition for distraction in the English Language Learners Dictionary

distraction

noun

dis·trac·tion | \ di-ˈstrak-shən

Kids Definition of distraction

1 : something that makes it hard to pay attention One robber created a distraction and the other grabbed the money.

2 : the act of having thoughts or attention drawn away : the state of drawing thoughts or attention away … he needed to clear his head, to flush away all distraction …— Jerry Spinelli, Maniac Magee

3 : confusion of thoughts or feelings Their endless chatter drove me to distraction.

4 : something that amuses or entertains The game was a good distraction during the long car ride.

distraction

noun

dis·trac·tion | \ dis-ˈtrak-shən