as in confounding
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1
as in diverting
to draw the attention or mind to something else
we were distracted from our discussion by the noise outside
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bothering
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
distracted by the looming tax deadline
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of distracting
William Arruda, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
The glare from the sun had been reflecting in the lenses and distracting Smith.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
Instead of relying on visual alerts or audio cues, which can be distracting, easy to miss, or outright annoying while riding, ViberAlert communicates through vibrations.
—New Atlas, 4 Jan. 2026
Last April, federal prosecutors accused Dugan of distracting federal officers trying to arrest a Mexican immigrant outside her courtroom and leading the man out through a private door.
—Josh Funk, Chicago Tribune, 3 Jan. 2026
One thing helping me has been the Brick, a physical device that blocks distracting apps on my phone with just a tap.
—Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Jan. 2026
This is an exceptional and decadent bourbon, with strong oak and subtle smoky notes that are never overpowering or distracting.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 28 Dec. 2025
Open-source software offered more customization for laptops and displays, devices with less distracting design received recognition with a new certification, and smart glasses manufacturers forged paths to figure out what users really want in the wearable tech.
—Gwendolyn Rak, IEEE Spectrum, 27 Dec. 2025
The Democratic crackup that’s now underway in Washington is distracting the party from a series of brutal fights just ahead that will culminate in next year’s midterms.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
Choose a clean, non-distracting background that doesn’t compete with your mug for attention.
—William Arruda, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Verb
Writing essays, in the same way, lubricates my writing of fiction and vice versa—by distracting me and taking my thoughts elsewhere.
—Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
The glare from the sun had been reflecting in the lenses and distracting Smith.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
Instead of relying on visual alerts or audio cues, which can be distracting, easy to miss, or outright annoying while riding, ViberAlert communicates through vibrations.
—New Atlas, 4 Jan. 2026
Last April, federal prosecutors accused Dugan of distracting federal officers trying to arrest a Mexican immigrant outside her courtroom and leading the man out through a private door.
—Josh Funk, Chicago Tribune, 3 Jan. 2026
One thing helping me has been the Brick, a physical device that blocks distracting apps on my phone with just a tap.
—Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Jan. 2026
This is an exceptional and decadent bourbon, with strong oak and subtle smoky notes that are never overpowering or distracting.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 28 Dec. 2025
Open-source software offered more customization for laptops and displays, devices with less distracting design received recognition with a new certification, and smart glasses manufacturers forged paths to figure out what users really want in the wearable tech.
—Gwendolyn Rak, IEEE Spectrum, 27 Dec. 2025
The Democratic crackup that’s now underway in Washington is distracting the party from a series of brutal fights just ahead that will culminate in next year’s midterms.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 10 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distracting
Adjective
-
What is the most confounding and terrible, however, is Gretchen’s assertion that Slade, the anti-Viagra, doesn’t get involved with the women on his own accord, but only engages because the women always talk about him.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
10 Oct. 2025
-
The offense’s struggles are the most confounding.—
Zach Berman,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The California Highway Patrol issued a Sig Alert and was diverting traffic off on Roxford Street.—
Chelsea Hylton,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
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What keeps things diverting, and sometimes even interesting, is the genuine but necessarily tentative chemistry between its stars, one staging an all-out charm offensive and the other projecting a flintier allure.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Ibrahim keeps bothering me endlessly, touching my leg and thigh.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
4 Jan. 2026
-
Ask her if anything is bothering her.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
24 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
The movie is hilarious, fun, disturbing, perplexing, exuberant, exhausting.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
12 Dec. 2025
-
The canon can already be described as a bewildering artistic menagerie, including a perplexing assessment of misandrism, body horror by Brian Yuzna, killer toys from the ’90s, and more.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Some asserted that the commitment and costs of traveling and attending meetings paired with the limited compensation was detracting members of the public from running for office.—
Luis Melecio-Zambrano,
Mercury News,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Videos showing the physical abuse of nonverbal children on a Littleton Public Schools bus are disturbing and difficult to watch.—
Karen Morfitt,
CBS News,
6 Jan. 2026
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Over the next six months, disturbing details about the abuse Kevin’s youngest children endured at the hands of their mother and Hildebrandt emerged.—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Here are five times what seemed like a harmless toy turned into a puzzling moment online.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The second flare is even more puzzling.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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While a small sample size, the historical record for what happens after the S & P 500 has a down month after a seven-month win streak is more reassuring than alarming for the near term.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
5 Jan. 2026
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China’s increasingly advanced military capabilities are alarming the West and reshaping the global balance of naval power, analysts said.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
5 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Distracting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distracting. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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