distract

verb

di-ˈstrakt How to pronounce distract (audio)
Definition of distractnext
1
as in to divert
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 to disturb
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy distracted by the looming tax deadline

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb distract differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of distract are bewilder, confound, dumbfound, nonplus, perplex, and puzzle. While all these words mean "to baffle and disturb mentally," distract implies agitation or uncertainty induced by conflicting preoccupations or interests.

distracted by personal problems

When might bewilder be a better fit than distract?

While in some cases nearly identical to distract, bewilder stresses a confusion of mind that hampers clear and decisive thinking.

a bewildering number of possibilities

When can confound be used instead of distract?

Although the words confound and distract have much in common, confound implies temporary mental paralysis caused by astonishment or profound abasement.

the tragic news confounded us all

When is dumbfound a more appropriate choice than distract?

The synonyms dumbfound and distract are sometimes interchangeable, but dumbfound suggests intense but momentary confounding; often the idea of astonishment is so stressed that it becomes a near synonym of astound.

was at first too dumbfounded to reply

When could nonplus be used to replace distract?

In some situations, the words nonplus and distract are roughly equivalent. However, nonplus implies a bafflement that makes orderly planning or deciding impossible.

the remark left us utterly nonplussed

When is it sensible to use perplex instead of distract?

While the synonyms perplex and distract are close in meaning, perplex adds a suggestion of worry and uncertainty especially about making a necessary decision.

a behavior that perplexed her friends

Where would puzzle be a reasonable alternative to distract?

The meanings of puzzle and distract largely overlap; however, puzzle implies existence of a problem difficult to solve.

the persistent fever puzzled the doctor

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 distract Movement during this sacred exchange can be distracting and, at times, even risky. —Jessica Bennett, VIBE.com, 16 Apr. 2025 Helping distract the men from the matter at hand was Tim snooping around the Deputy Director’s office, and getting caught. —Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 14 Apr. 2025 While most of the acting is wonderful (Wyle is predictably great, but so is just about all of the main cast), some patient-of-the-week players err towards distracting histrionics. —Judy Berman, Time, 11 Apr. 2025 The one who got distracted by the minstrel did not finish last. —Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for distract
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distract
  1. divert
  2. disturb
  3. bother
  4. worry
  5. concern
  6. alarm
  7. unsettle
  8. agitate
Verb
  • Welch diverted a large portion of the loan money for the personal benefit of the couple, according to court documents.
    — NWA Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 28 Apr. 2025
  • Those hotels have hospitality standards on par with many of the finest in the world, but no alcohol is served, with focus instead diverted to food, coffee, and experiences.
    — Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 24 Apr. 2025
Definition of divert
Verb
  • No doubt, climate change threatens to muck it all up, disturbing patterns that have existed for centuries.
    — Ray Mark Rinaldi, Denver Post, 28 Apr. 2025
  • This tactic—arresting judges for their courtroom decisions—has disturbing echoes in other countries where judicial independence has been undermined: in Viktor Orbán’s Hungary, in Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Turkey, and in other places where democracy has given way to executive supremacy.
    — Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
Definition of disturb
Verb
  • Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow was popular enough that fans wanted a solo story, but the studio didn't bother to make it until her character was already dead in the major timeline, then skipped the theatrical release, which Johansson sued them about.
    — Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 19 Apr. 2025
  • The Mavericks defeated the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night in Sacramento, 120-106; the Mavs led by more than 20 points in the first half, and the Kings never bothered to muster much of a run to make this interesting.
    — Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Apr. 2025
Definition of bother
Verb
  • According to Breen’s brother-in-law, Corey Feist, many people worried that any move to take care of their mental health could affect their jobs.
    — Christina Ray Stanton, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Moran worries that Alvarado, a diabetic breast cancer survivor who suffers from high blood pressure and needs to eat and drink frequently, will have poor access to her medication in detention — or after deportation.
    — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 26 Apr. 2025
Definition of worry
Verb
  • The incident report was issued Monday at 3:57 p.m., and the last update concerning this incident was provided on Monday at 4:01 p.m.
    — Kansas City Star Bot, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Then, in February, the Vatican released the text of a letter Pope Francis to U.S. bishops, mostly concerning their work helping migrants.
    — Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 21 Apr. 2025
Definition of concern
Verb
  • Still, researchers are clear to reassure people there is no need to be alarmed about the continent hollowing out or there being any sudden landscape changes anytime soon.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 19 Apr. 2025
  • While bombarded by public service announcements encouraging me to save the whales, feed starving African children, and conserve freshwater, none alarmed me quite as much as those that advertised the hole in the ozone layer.
    — Lauren Stienstra, Time, 17 Apr. 2025
Definition of alarm
Verb
  • Jalen Brunson endured physical play in the Knicks’ 100-94 Game 2 loss to the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden on Monday, alarming fans with another brief but unsettling late-game exit.
    — C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2025
  • And while terrifying movies are typically critic-proof at the box office, audiences tend to leave the theater feeling unsettled, which translates to poor exit polls.
    — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 21 Apr. 2025
Definition of unsettle
Verb
  • Are there certain external factors or stimuli that are more likely to agitate someone with dementia?
    — Christopher Bergland, Verywell Health, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Stop the Chop, a group organized to reduce helicopter noise, has been agitating for several years to ban nonessential helicopters from flying over the New York metropolitan area.
    — Michael Loria, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2025
Definition of agitate

Browse Nearby Words

distorts
distract
distracted
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Cite this Entry

“Distract.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distract. Accessed 2 May. 2025.

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