distract

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb distract differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of distract are bewilder, confound, dumbfound, nonplus, perplex, and puzzle. While all these words mean "to baffle and disturb mentally," distract implies agitation or uncertainty induced by conflicting preoccupations or interests.

distracted by personal problems

When might bewilder be a better fit than distract?

While in some cases nearly identical to distract, bewilder stresses a confusion of mind that hampers clear and decisive thinking.

a bewildering number of possibilities

When can confound be used instead of distract?

Although the words confound and distract have much in common, confound implies temporary mental paralysis caused by astonishment or profound abasement.

the tragic news confounded us all

When is dumbfound a more appropriate choice than distract?

The synonyms dumbfound and distract are sometimes interchangeable, but dumbfound suggests intense but momentary confounding; often the idea of astonishment is so stressed that it becomes a near synonym of astound.

was at first too dumbfounded to reply

When could nonplus be used to replace distract?

In some situations, the words nonplus and distract are roughly equivalent. However, nonplus implies a bafflement that makes orderly planning or deciding impossible.

the remark left us utterly nonplussed

When is it sensible to use perplex instead of distract?

While the synonyms perplex and distract are close in meaning, perplex adds a suggestion of worry and uncertainty especially about making a necessary decision.

a behavior that perplexed her friends

Where would puzzle be a reasonable alternative to distract?

The meanings of puzzle and distract largely overlap; however, puzzle implies existence of a problem difficult to solve.

the persistent fever puzzled the doctor

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of distract These kinds of assumptions are distracting and can hinder the possibility for a friendship to form. Seraphina Seow, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2025 Buy Now Jennette McCurdy Is 'Grateful Every Day' 1 Year After Sharing Childhood Stories About Abusive Stage Mother 07 of 07 'Matilda' by Roald Dahl In this classic that birthed the 1996 Mara Wilson movie, Mrs. Wormwood is a bad mom in part because she’s distracted by watching television. Sarah Harman, People.com, 11 May 2025 Photo: Google Maps Another theory: The glittering Emmys hardly distract from $6.495 million’s worth of truly great bones. Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 2 May 2025 That’s four clubs who are, to varying degrees, distracted from league football. Sam Tighe, New York Times, 2 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for distract
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distract
Verb
  • The westbound lanes on I-88 near Route 53 in DuPage County have now reopened after a fatal crash near Lisle had shut down the lanes and diverted traffic to other routes, Illinois State Police said.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 20 May 2025
  • Kelly is diverting her eyes to the politics always in every film.
    Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 20 May 2025
Verb
  • However, some 3,000 years ago—around the transition from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age—newcomers to the area disturbed the burial site by removing parts of the mound and displacing stones.
    Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 May 2025
  • Beaches aren’t typically hotspots for these kinds of fossils unless something is disturbing the seafloor nearby and carrying the remains to shore.
    Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
Verb
  • That doesn’t mean the implication doesn’t bother him.
    Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025
  • Or Xander Schauffele, the defending PGA champion who is surely not bothered by the lack of attention on him early this week.
    Brody Miller, New York Times, 15 May 2025
Verb
  • One thing Salmon didn’t have to worry about before Monday’s game was having support.
    Tony Baranek, Chicago Tribune, 20 May 2025
  • In 1956, a survey of over 2,000 professors showed that 61% had been contacted by the FBI; 40% worried that students might misrepresent their politics; and about a quarter would not express their views for fear of the government.
    Time, Time, 20 May 2025
Verb
  • This was not the first time school officials had been concerned with the boy’s behavior.
    Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 15 May 2025
  • All of these trends are concerning for a soon-to-be-32-year-old pitcher in the second season of a seven-year, $172 million contract.
    Matt Gelb, New York Times, 15 May 2025
Verb
  • Democrats and some Republicans are also alarmed over the ethics of accepting such an expensive gift from a foreign country.
    Jeremy Bogaisky, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
  • The rapid expansion of the Camp House Fire, Jenkins Creek Fire and Munger Shaw Fire has alarmed officials.
    Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025
Verb
  • They, too, have been unsettled by Mr. Trump’s tariff offensive, his dismissal of allies as freeloaders, and his reluctance to support Ukraine.
    Ned Temko, Christian Science Monitor, 15 May 2025
  • His outlandish statements about Gaza have unsettled them.
    Marc Lynch, Foreign Affairs, 12 May 2025
Verb
  • Some Israeli officials have agitated for Israel to rebuild Jewish settlements in the enclave, but Mr. Netanyahu has rebuffed the prospect for now.
    Samuel Granados, New York Times, 15 May 2025
  • Moderate and battleground-district Republicans are pushing back on threats to Medicaid, while conservatives and budget hawks are agitating for deeper cuts.
    Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 5 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Distract.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distract. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

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