1
as in diverts
to draw the attention or mind to something else
we were distracted from our discussion by the noise outside
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disturbs
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 distracts
Molina, who is fascinated by silver screen legend Ingrid Luna (Jennifer Lopez), distracts himself and Valentín with a recounting of his favorite film of hers — The Kiss of the Spider Woman.
—
Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Sep. 2025
But Democratic leaders said the plan distracts from more urgent legislative priorities and is unlikely to move forward.
—Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2025
In the New York Times, Schmidt—yes that same guy who was talking up AGI in April—urged Silicon Valley to stop fixating on superhuman AI, warning that the obsession distracts from building useful technology.
—Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2025
Chasing the mirage of consciousness distracts from the urgent task of building AI that helps humans without pretending to be human.
—Ron Schmelzer, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Scrolling social media, watching videos, recording videos or using the device in anyway that distracts you and requires your body to do it.
—Shelby Slade, AZCentral.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Sep. 2025
But Democratic leaders said the plan distracts from more urgent legislative priorities and is unlikely to move forward.
—Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2025
In the New York Times, Schmidt—yes that same guy who was talking up AGI in April—urged Silicon Valley to stop fixating on superhuman AI, warning that the obsession distracts from building useful technology.
—Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2025
Chasing the mirage of consciousness distracts from the urgent task of building AI that helps humans without pretending to be human.
—Ron Schmelzer, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Scrolling social media, watching videos, recording videos or using the device in anyway that distracts you and requires your body to do it.
—Shelby Slade, AZCentral.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distracts
Verb
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Opponents say the program diverts money away from public schools in need of further investment.—
Lina Ruiz
September 8,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Sep. 2025
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Talk of bringing in the National Guard is less a solution than a distraction — a show of force that diverts attention away from the deeper investments communities need.—
Debra Gittler,
Mercury News,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The water is perfectly clear — until someone brushes the side of the cave or disturbs the soft bottom, sending fine silt particles billowing into the beam of a headlamp.—
Jennifer Walker,
CNN Money,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Why ban books, Postman asked, if no one bothers to read them?—
Time,
Time,
10 Sep. 2025
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What bothers her most is how the refusal seemed to change her brother’s behavior.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The growing number of satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) also worries space sustainability experts, who warn about the increasing risk of orbital collisions.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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But the immigration worries – with threats of arrest, detention, and deportation for workers – are just one way Trump’s policies are holding back construction.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Silence only angers the other, and exacerbates their criticism and contempt.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
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Season 2 picks up after Kimmie marries businessman Horace Bellarie, inheriting a new sense of power that angers her in-laws, Netflix said in its release.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
23 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Kirk assassination angers and unsettles leaders, residents The assassination of Kirk, which happened in front of hundreds of people and was captured on video and widely circulated on social media, has in particular rattled the nation and drawn condemnation from across the political spectrum.—
Mark Vancleave,
Twin Cities,
13 Sep. 2025
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Yet for all the focus now on the technology’s effects on jobs or geopolitics, what unsettles Altman most are the subtle, almost imperceptible cultural shifts that spread when millions of people interact with the same system every day.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Namely, the fact that Powell’s booksellers had been raising concerns about the use AI art long before the merch drop—concerns that management repeatedly overruled.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
9 Sep. 2025
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Gurman’s final note concerns the cameras, which may be one of the star features.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But the administration’s approach alarms other Jewish groups and erstwhile academic allies in the fight against campus antisemitism.—
Peter Elkind,
ProPublica,
27 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Distracts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distracts. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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