Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

distract

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of distract

1 to draw the attention or mind to something else

  • we were distracted from our discussion by the noise outside
Synonyms of distract

abstract, call off, detract, divert, throw off
Words Related to distract

amuse, beguile, entertain

stray, wander
Near Antonyms of distract

concentrate, focus

2 to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy

  • distracted by the looming tax deadline
Synonyms of distract

agitate, ail, alarm (also alarum), bother, concern, derail, discomfort, discompose, dismay, disquiet, distemper, distress, disturb, exercise, flurry, frazzle, freak (out), fuss, hagride, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, weird out, worry
Words Related to distract

aggravate, anger, annoy, bug, chafe, chivy (or chivvy), exasperate, fret, gall, get, grate, harass, harry, irk, irritate, nettle, peeve, pester, pique, put off, put out, rile, vex

bedevil, haunt, plague

abash, confound, confuse, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, embarrass, faze, fluster, jar, mortify, nonplus, rattle, shake up

daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dispirit, unnerve
Near Antonyms of distract

allay, alleviate, assuage

appease, conciliate, mollify, pacify, placate, propitiate
Antonyms of distract

calm, compose, quiet, settle, soothe, tranquilize (also tranquillize)

Synonym Discussion of distract

puzzle, perplex, bewilder, distract, nonplus, confound, dumbfound mean to baffle and disturb mentally. puzzle implies existence of a problem difficult to solve.
    • the persistent fever puzzled the doctor
perplex adds a suggestion of worry and uncertainty especially about making a necessary decision.
    • a behavior that perplexed her friends
bewilder stresses a confusion of mind that hampers clear and decisive thinking.
    • a bewildering number of possibilities
distract implies agitation or uncertainty induced by conflicting preoccupations or interests.
    • distracted by personal problems
nonplus implies a bafflement that makes orderly planning or deciding impossible.
    • the remark left us utterly nonplussed
confound implies temporary mental paralysis caused by astonishment or profound abasement.
    • the tragic news confounded us all
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

Learn More about distract

  1. See words that rhyme with distract Dictionary: Definition of distract Spanish Central: Translation of distract Nglish: Translation of distract for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of distract for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up distract? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

tomfoolery

playful or foolish behavior

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. gaslight It is a word, though.

  2. invasion CNN reporter questions President.

  3. relevancy Ariana Grande slams ex-fiancé.

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games