1
2
as in to disturb
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
distracted by the looming tax deadline
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in confounding
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of distract
Jessica Bennett, VIBE.com, 16 Apr. 2025
Helping distract the men from the matter at hand was Tim snooping around the Deputy Director’s office, and getting caught.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 14 Apr. 2025
Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 22 Mar. 2025
But the choice to use CGI is jarring, distracting from the dwarfs' otherwise delightful introduction in the film.
—Patrick Gomez, EW.com, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distract
Verb
Movement during this sacred exchange can be distracting and, at times, even risky.
—Jessica Bennett, VIBE.com, 16 Apr. 2025
Helping distract the men from the matter at hand was Tim snooping around the Deputy Director’s office, and getting caught.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
By appearing at ringside and distracting Lee, Van Dam created an opening for Evans to secure the victory.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 22 Mar. 2025
But the choice to use CGI is jarring, distracting from the dwarfs' otherwise delightful introduction in the film.
—Patrick Gomez, EW.com, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distract
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distract
Adjective
-
The situation only becomes more perplexing when Caleb realizes that no one in his life ever remembers him being married.—
Josh Weiss,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
-
The Dodgers’ offense is more talented than the last 10 days have indicated, which makes this stretch all the more perplexing.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Even more puzzling was the late move to bring in striker Odsonne Edouard from Crystal Palace to take up the second and last available Premier League loan, paying a large proportion of his considerable wages to boot.—
Rob Tanner,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2025
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What may be more puzzling is how to stop the white-ball team from crashing and burning.—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Sometimes the results are inaccurate, generated by AI hallucinations – responses AI systems produce that sound convincing but are incorrect, made up or irrelevant.—
Nicole M. Bennett,
The Conversation,
23 Apr. 2025
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Speaking with the New York Times, Jesuit expert Rev. Thomas J. Reese cited the layout of tables inside the Sistine Chapel, as well as the color of the carpet, to be inaccurate.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The journey to get here was serpentine and occasionally bewildering (remember, no 3-1 lead is safe against Denver, and every clean bill of health deserves public appreciation).—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2025
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The formula at the core of President Donald Trump’s tariff announcement that continues to rattle markets is bewildering economists, who say it is based on flawed assumptions.—
Erin Doherty,
CNBC,
5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Many patients walk away with incorrect prescriptions.—
Kaitlyn Gomez,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2025
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If a player guesses incorrect groups of words four times, the game ends, and they are defeated.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Affected individuals may be vulnerable to identity theft, fraudulent account openings and targeted phishing attempts.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2025
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Any email platform is exposed to this kind of attack, with scammers using fraudulent alerts and malicious links to entrap victims.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The characters are petty, duplicitous, conniving — and also, somehow, strangely sympathetic.—
Calum Marsh,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2025
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Othello star Jake Gyllenhaal’s backstage home-away-from-home in Broadway’s Barrymore theater is an extension of the Shakespearean world he’s been steeped in while developing his version of Iago, the duplicitous ensign to the titular Venetian army general played by Denzel Washington.—
Charlotte Collins,
Architectural Digest,
24 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Our physical body is the antenna for all of these sensations; a relaxed, thawed body can pick up more subtle signals.—
Ginny Whitelaw,
Forbes.com,
1 May 2025
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There are subtle peacock tail motifs throughout the hotel, from the geometric patterns in intricate kumiko woodwork headboards to Japanese washi paper designs in the elevator.—
Amber Gibson,
Travel + Leisure,
30 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Distract.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distract. Accessed 6 May. 2025.
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