distraction
noun
dis·trac·tion
di-ˈstrak-shən 
1
: something that distracts : an object that directs one's attention away from something else
turned off her phone to limit distractions
One created a distraction while the other grabbed the money.
2
: the act of distracting or the state of being distracted
especially
: mental confusion
driven to distraction by their endless chatter
Examples of distraction in a Sentence
It was hard to work with so many distractions.
One of them created a distraction while the other grabbed the money.
A weekend at the beach was a good distraction from her troubles.
Their endless chatter drove her to distraction.
Recent Examples on the Web
Mike is a focused man, but Bunny, eating up the dream that Moses is selling to him about keeping his criminal enterprise while making the books look like legitimate businesses, and a deadly Columbian Cartel trying to move in and take over the Russians spot, are all serving as new distractions.
—
Demetrius Patterson, HollywoodReporter, 27 Oct. 2025
Bolt later acknowledged that his outbursts were often just showmanship and a distraction from his focus on tournaments.
—Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
After the further distraction of a fraternity during his son’s sophomore year, Dad called Zinner home for a year — to the University of Miami.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
Anyone, from engineers to junior staff, can benefit, especially in a world saturated with digital noise and the ever-present risk of distraction.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distraction
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Demetrius Patterson, HollywoodReporter, 27 Oct. 2025
Bolt later acknowledged that his outbursts were often just showmanship and a distraction from his focus on tournaments.
—Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
After the further distraction of a fraternity during his son’s sophomore year, Dad called Zinner home for a year — to the University of Miami.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
Anyone, from engineers to junior staff, can benefit, especially in a world saturated with digital noise and the ever-present risk of distraction.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distraction
Cite this Entry
“Distraction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/distraction. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
distraction
noun
dis·trac·tion
dis-ˈtrak-shən
1
: the act of distracting : the state of being distracted
especially
: mental confusion
2
a
: something that makes it hard to pay attention
Medical Definition
distraction
noun
dis·trac·tion
dis-ˈtrak-shən
1
a
: diversion of the attention
b
: mental confusion
2
: excessive separation (as from improper traction) of fracture fragments
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