distraction

B2 Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /dɪsˈtɹæk.ʃən/ See IPA manual

Freq #7589

Meanings

1

noun
Something that takes your attention away from what you should be doing.

His phone was a constant distraction during the lecture.
2

noun
An activity that gives you pleasure and helps you forget your worries.

Gardening is a welcome distraction after a stressful week at work.
3

noun
The act of drawing someone's attention away from something.

The magician used distraction to hide the coin in his other hand.
4

noun
A state of extreme worry or mental confusion.

The endless noise from the building site drove her to distraction.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 noun · an activity that gives you... beguilement

3 noun · the act of drawing... misdirection

Word family

Forms distractions

Derived forms distractionarydistractionismdistractionistdistractionlessosteodistraction

Related forms distracteedistracter

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French distraction, from Latin distractio. Equivalent to distract + -ion.

distraction Middle French distractio Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas

External links

# distraction

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /dɪsˈtɹæk.ʃən/
**Frequency rank:** 7589

## Meanings
1. Something that takes your attention away from what you should be doing.
2. An activity that gives you pleasure and helps you forget your worries.
3. The act of drawing someone's attention away from something.
4. A state of extreme worry or mental confusion.

## Examples
- His phone was a constant distraction during the lecture.
- Gardening is a welcome distraction after a stressful week at work.
- The magician used distraction to hide the coin in his other hand.
- The endless noise from the building site drove her to distraction.

## Derived Forms
- distractionary
- distractionism
- distractionist
- distractionless
- osteodistraction

## Related Forms
- distractee
- distracter

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: distraction
- Root: distractio

## Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French distraction, from Latin distractio. Equivalent to distract + -ion.

## AI Etymology
Distraction is borrowed from Middle French distraction, from Latin distractio. Equivalent to distract + -ion. In current use, the main senses are “Something that takes your attention away from what you should be doing” and “An activity that gives you pleasure and helps you forget your worries”.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas

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