1
as in confusion
a state of mental uncertainty
in my distraction I forgot where I was
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in frenzy
a state of wildly excited activity or emotion
driven to distraction by the constant screaming and bickering in the house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in entertainment
the act or activity of providing pleasure or amusement especially for the public
the founder of a recovery program who doesn't view gambling as a harmless distraction for people of modest means
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in diversion
someone or something that provides amusement or enjoyment
a harmless distraction for children at the playground
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of distraction
The best companies recognize that such a myopic focus on the quarterly cycle is a distraction from building a great business.
—
Dave Smith, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2025
While technological advances enhanced the visual style, the storytelling remained sluggish, not helped by the distraction of a waxy-looking, digitally de-aged Bridges doing battle with his older self.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2025
Apple AirPods Pro 2 Wireless Earbuds My ADHD brain needs fewer distractions, especially in the air.
—Claire Gallam, Travel + Leisure, 7 Oct. 2025
This is the perfect week to ditch distractions and commit to systems that actually make life smoother.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 5 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distraction
Dave Smith, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2025
While technological advances enhanced the visual style, the storytelling remained sluggish, not helped by the distraction of a waxy-looking, digitally de-aged Bridges doing battle with his older self.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2025
Apple AirPods Pro 2 Wireless Earbuds My ADHD brain needs fewer distractions, especially in the air.
—Claire Gallam, Travel + Leisure, 7 Oct. 2025
This is the perfect week to ditch distractions and commit to systems that actually make life smoother.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 5 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distraction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distraction
Noun
-
First, your confusion is kind of the point ‒ today's slang is part of an ever-changing lexicon that separates the young from the young-at-heart.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
5 Oct. 2025
-
The Department of Homeland Security has detained hundreds of TPS holders from Venezuela nationwide, creating confusion about how the protections are being applied.—
Syra Ortiz Blanes,
Miami Herald,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Wall Street holds near record highs in a government-data blackout , with enough rotational energy toward left-behind groups, refreshed confidence in the AI spending frenzy, certainty of a Fed rate cut this month and speculative aggression in lower-quality longshots to keep the indexes aloft.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The Red Sox have room to pay him now that Rafael Devers' contract is off the books, but Bregman could cause a frenzy in free agency.—
Aaliyan Mohammed,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In Monica Hooper is an award-winning features writer specializing in entertainment news for Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 Oct. 2025
-
There’s also a covered front porch and second-story deck that can seat several people for outdoor entertainment.—
Katrina Cossey,
Parents,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In addressing irreparable harm, Immergut said the state faced constitutional injury from loss of control over its Guard, operational harm from diversion of troops trained for state emergencies and public safety risks.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
5 Oct. 2025
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That willingness to play fast and loose with history gained new momentum in the Monster series, the first two seasons of which made questionable diversions from the life of Jeffrey Dahmer and the saga of the Menendez brothers.—
Brian Tallerico,
Vulture,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In extremely dense fog where visibility is near zero, the best course of action is to first turn on your hazard lights, then simply pull into a safe location such as a parking lot of a local business, and stop.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Oct. 2025
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Scientists in Austria and France have developed a new imaging method that can reveal objects hidden behind opaque materials such as sand, fog, or even human tissue, potentially opening new frontiers in medical diagnostics and sensing technologies.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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On July 30, investigators say a 53-year-old man went on a flag-burning rampage in Northside and Clifton.—
Kevin Grasha,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
3 Oct. 2025
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The press conference comes almost a week after Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, allegedly killed four people and injured eight others during his rampage before being shot dead by the two local officials who responded to the scene.—
Mason Leath,
ABC News,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The comedically top-heavy sausages, which can easily topple forwards into the dirt, temporarily take center stage as the baseball players gaze on in amusement from their dugouts, sometimes wagering on the outcome.—
Don Riddell,
CNN Money,
3 Oct. 2025
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The film is family-friendly, with the lyric videos playing for the clean versions of songs create amusement when compared with explicit versions.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Our commerce writer Julia Harrison writes that her Moccamaster One Cup is a delight, principally because of its simplicity as a drip coffee maker—free of extraneous frothers or digital interfaces or timers.—
Blake Bakkila,
Architectural Digest,
8 Oct. 2025
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To my relief and delight, the firearm had not exploded in my face, maiming me for life.—
Caity Weaver,
The Atlantic,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Distraction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distraction. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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