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distraction

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distraction

  • /dɪsˈtɹæk.ʃən/

Rhymes with -ækʃən

Where it comes from

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

noun distractions

  1. countable, uncountable Something that distracts. Poking one's eye is a good distraction from a hurting toe.
  2. countable, uncountable The process of being distracted. We have to reduce distraction in class if we want students to achieve good results.
  3. countable, uncountable Perturbation; disorder; disturbance; confusion. It's true that the Copernican Systeme introduceth distraction in the universe of Aristotle.
  4. countable, uncountable Mental disarray; a deranged state of mind; insanity. The incessant nightmares drove him to distraction.
  5. archaic, countable, uncountable Traction so exerted as to separate surfaces normally opposed.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: beguilement, disarray, confusion, diversionary, mess, harassment, provocation, forgetfulness, diversion, destruction, madness, misappropriation, decoy, amusement, fun, lure

Translations

Every language

noun something that distracts

Españoldistracción
日本語逆上 gyakujō
Portuguêsdistracção, distração
Françaisdistraction
DeutschAblenkung, Ablenkungsmanöver
Italianodistrazione

noun the process of being distracted

Españoldistracción
Portuguêsdistracção, distração
DeutschAblenkung, Störung, Zerstreuung
Русскийотвлече́ние otvlečénije

noun mental disorder

Españollocura
Françaisfolie
DeutschWahnsinn, Zerstreuung

Talk about this word

Cite this
MLA

"distraction." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/distraction. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

distraction. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/distraction

Chicago

"distraction." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/distraction.

BibTeX
@misc{distraction_2026,
  title = {distraction},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/distraction},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}