distractions

plural of distraction
1
2
as in entertainments
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

3

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of distractions In the end, these back-and-forths between the state and the family’s lawyers are distractions from the grief of two parents who feel like they’ve been failed by the system. — Cristian Farias, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2026 The setting helped participants step away from distractions, listen carefully and work through issues without feeling rushed. — Angela Cusack, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026 Beyond coffee, Gottsman said candidates should avoid other distractions or unprofessional impressions by putting away their phones, skipping overpowering fragrances, removing sunglasses from the tops of their heads and avoiding chewing gum. — Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026 Responses were mixed, with those agreeing with Wehniainen saying the practice is unprofessional and could create unnecessary distractions during an interview. — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 23 Sep. 2026 Hybrid setups and conversion tools offer a middle ground, letting users reduce distractions without permanently losing smartphone functions. — Ashley Lynch, Miami Herald, 22 Sep. 2026 Dumbphone conversion is the practice of stripping distractions from a smartphone or switching to a simpler device to support digital wellness. — Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Sep. 2026 In the film Rap World (which Bensinger also edited), Bensinger, O’Malley, and Rahill play suburban deadbeats eager to make an album, each man waylaid by his own hubris and distractions. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026 Enjoy your favorite songs, audiobooks and podcasts without any distractions with these wireless, active noise-canceling headphones. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distractions
Noun
  • Before the Lost Weekend, John and Yoko had their New York Year — turning their personal confusions into beautifully vivid moments of rage and pain.
    — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Among the New Wave of American filmmakers in the mid-’70s, Spielberg and his friend George Lucas stood out as directors with ambitions to make old-fashioned popular entertainments.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 10 June 2026
  • Often, producers of these entertainments answer that question through music.
    — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2026
Noun
  • Previous Kith anniversaries have returned to the theme but with more diversions than are apparent in the pair shown by Fieg.
    — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The world of things, bodies, texts and sensations as a plane or a web of connections and diversions, all of it on the signifying surface.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • And fogs are closer to us than clouds.
    — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 31 May 2026
  • Over-the-counter pesticides and fogs will not do the job.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Many travelers speed right by on their way to the flashy amusements of Kemah or Galveston’s sandy beaches.
    — Gabi De la Rosa, Southern Living, 29 July 2026
  • Down a dark stairway is the murky world of Bronc’s Tack Room bar, a cavern with pool tables and the usual Stockyards amusements.
    — Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 July 2026
Noun
  • These stages, often tucked away from the noise of the headliners, tend to be a trove of delights, giving up-and-comers a chance to play to the biggest crowds of their careers.
    — Stuart Heritage, Air Mail, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Here, the now-local shares the shoulder-season delights that keep her on-island year-round as well as her favorite hotel-slash-taverna for a warming meal and stay.
    — Chadner Navarro, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The brain’s surface has ridges and valleys, and CTE tangles are found in the depths of those valleys, called the cortical sulci, and surround blood vessels.
    — Alexandra Pattillo, Scientific American, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Brushing controls shedding, removes debris and prevents tangles.
    — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Inside, the kitchen, the emotional heart of the first film, was among the most meticulous recreations.
    — Livia Caligor, Architectural Digest, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The offerings there include a self-portrait by Frida Kahlo, an illustration of Pokémon, recreations of cave paintings in Lascaux, and sculptures of characters from Star Wars, the film franchise created by Lucas himself.
    — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 9 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Distractions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distractions. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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