plural distractions
1
: something that makes it difficult to think or pay attention
It was hard to work with so many distractions.
One of them created a distraction while the other grabbed the money.
He worked without distraction.
2
: something that amuses or entertains you so that you do not think about problems, work, etc.
He found reading to be a good distraction. [=diversion]
A weekend at the beach was a good distraction from her troubles.
3
: a state in which you are very annoyed or upset
Their endless chatter drove her to distraction.
Cite this Entry
“Distraction.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/distraction. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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