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
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of distract
Alexandra Simon, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
The officer said their presence could distract drivers at the busy intersection.
—Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2026
William Arruda, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 27 Jan. 2026
The brain constantly filters sensory input, prioritizing what is useful and suppressing what is distracting.
—Atom Sarkar, The Conversation, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for distract
Verb
These mobile devices disrupt classroom lessons, distract students from learning, and facilitate cyberbullying.
—Alexandra Simon, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
The officer said their presence could distract drivers at the busy intersection.
—Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Choose a clean, non-distracting background that doesn’t compete with your mug for attention.
—William Arruda, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Verb
The political landscape is horrifying, distracting, deranged and unhinged.
—Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 27 Jan. 2026
The brain constantly filters sensory input, prioritizing what is useful and suppressing what is distracting.
—Atom Sarkar, The Conversation, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for distract
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distract
Adjective
-
The Eagles were a confounding defending champion throughout the regular season.—
Jeff Howe,
New York Times,
5 Jan. 2026
-
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
Adjective
-
Hippocrates bases his explanation of epilepsy, that most perplexing of illnesses, on observation.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
-
That makes the decision to pull back on that ice time in the second period and again in overtime all the more perplexing.—
Vincent Z. Mercogliano,
New York Times,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
New research suggests that dark matter, the universe's most puzzling and mysterious substance, may not exist.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The economy is in a puzzling place.—
Paul Wiseman,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
In the 222 years since declaring its independence, the Caribbean country and its people has consistently found itself as the target of American derision—from Thomas Jefferson’s refusal to acknowledge Haiti's independence to Trump’s inaccurate depiction of Haitians.—
Ruth Jean-Marie,
Time,
3 Feb. 2026
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Behind the scenes, Newsom’s staff have taken a similar approach and tone, calling for the tabloid to change language in stories that the team feels is inaccurate or misleading.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
2 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
He was found dead lying face up on his hotel bed with no signs of trauma, according to a Monday report from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Florida.—
Kenan Draughorne,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Jan. 2022
Adjective
-
James’ beats fractured into a newly bewildering density.—
Sasha Geffen,
Pitchfork,
21 Jan. 2026
-
That the novel is imperfect, often bewildering, and sometimes a mess is not the point.—
Robert Rubsam,
The Atlantic,
1 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Conversely, the state Attorney General's office believes applying the anti-nepotism law in this situation would be an incorrect and overly broad interpretation.—
David Bauerlein,
Florida Times-Union,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The state’s attorneys said that too was incorrect.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Some defendants are also accused of conspiring to bribe a civilian contractor to create fraudulent military IDs for base access.—
Steve Patterson,
Florida Times-Union,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Rivers used her professional connection with Event Décor Direct in Deerfield Beach to take money from the event decoration business over a three-month period in 2025, in part by making dozens of fraudulent transactions and credit card purchases, the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Thursday.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Distract.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distract. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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