1
as in agitated
feeling overwhelming fear or worry
she's been distracted about her son ever since he left on that polar expedition
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in preoccupied
lost in thought and unaware of one's surroundings or actions
the distracted driver rear-ended the pickup truck that had stopped for the red light
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in dazed
suffering from mental confusion
she's been chronically depressed and distracted since her husband's death
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1
as in diverted
to draw the attention or mind to something else
we were distracted from our discussion by the noise outside
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2
as in alarmed
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
distracted by the looming tax deadline
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of distracted
Aemilia Madden, Glamour, 6 June 2025
On Friday, debate on a highway safety bill, HB 7160, was halted while lawyers discussed whether a Republican amendment increasing the penalty for distracted drivers could be adopted under the rules without a referral to the Judiciary Committee.
—Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 2 June 2025
Eric Roberge, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
By the time Moynihan’s second paper came out, many white liberals, distracted by the war in Vietnam and disenchanted by Black militancy, had given up on the crusade for civil rights.
—Louis Menand, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distracted
Adjective
The key, besides constant hydration, is to not get dizzy or distracted mid-flow.
—Aemilia Madden, Glamour, 6 June 2025
On Friday, debate on a highway safety bill, HB 7160, was halted while lawyers discussed whether a Republican amendment increasing the penalty for distracted drivers could be adopted under the rules without a referral to the Judiciary Committee.
—Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 2 June 2025
Verb
Don’t get distracted by things that don’t actually matter to you.
—Eric Roberge, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
By the time Moynihan’s second paper came out, many white liberals, distracted by the war in Vietnam and disenchanted by Black militancy, had given up on the crusade for civil rights.
—Louis Menand, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distracted
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distracted
Adjective
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While over 40 Scud missiles hit Tel Aviv and Haifa during the war, an agitated Israel sat tight.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
15 June 2025
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Immigration attorney Mustafa Cetin told NJ.com that around 50 detainees at the private facility pushed down a dormitory wall after becoming agitated when meals were delayed.—
Audrey Conklin,
FOXNews.com,
15 June 2025
Adjective
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In an era where so many action movies feel bloated, impersonal, or too preoccupied with setting up spin-offs, Plane is refreshingly straightforward.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
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Nora and Madeline, meanwhile, aren’t as well developed, but then again, they’re both entirely preoccupied throughout with trying to understand what on earth is going on in this creepy house, what their mothers aren’t telling them and why.—
Ilana Masad,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2025
Adjective
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In his latest, Minervini brings viewers into the thick of the Civil War, only to find the same dazed souls and gnawing uncertainties that have always been his focus.—
Tim Grierson,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2025
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The internet, like a dazed prize fighter, wobbles on its last legs before going down.—
Jake Coyle,
Twin Cities,
5 June 2025
Verb
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Some 120 flights were in the air when the closure was announced, with some turned around and others diverted to Gatwick Airport outside London, Charles de Gaulle Airport near Paris or Ireland's Shannon Airport, tracking services showed.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
21 Mar. 2025
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United Airlines said seven of their flights returned to their origin or were diverted to other airports, and added that all other flights scheduled to the airport on Friday were cancelled.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Known for loving animals, especially his dog Roscoe, Hamilton felt distraught when speaking to the media following the grand prix.—
Nelson Espinal,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 June 2025
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Many athletes were visibly distraught, weeping and barely able to keep it together.—
Calum Marsh,
Rolling Stone,
14 June 2025
Adjective
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There were also problems connecting to the internet and to phone networks, leaving many bewildered and unable to obtain information.—
Catherine Porter,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2025
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Tornado is a bewildered Japanese girl (played by pop singer Kôki) who fights off a horde of white men, thieving gold vagabonds who represent both Anglo-Saxon and Anglo-Celtic ancestry.—
Armond White,
National Review,
4 June 2025
Verb
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These five destinations show that sharing the shore with animals can be calm, safe and memorable for the right reasons when animals aren’t fed or disturbed.—
Emese Maczko,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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Even the guards appeared to be disturbed.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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That’s why, when federal immigration agents rolled into the berry fields of Oxnard last week and detained 40 farmworkers, growers up and down the state grew worried along with their workers.—
Jessica Garrison,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2025
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This is perhaps the most important reason everyone should be so worried about the Republicans’ Big Beautiful Bill.—
Paul Weinstein Jr,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Distracted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distracted. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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