English · Word Candidate

distract

/dɪˈstɹækt/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: distracts · distracting

Sense 1

Meaning · English

To divert the attention of.

Verb

Examples

The crowd was distracted by a helicopter hovering over the stadium when the only goal of the game was scored.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

To divert (attention).

Verb

Examples

It is recorded in the Talmud that there was no water organ [...] at the Temple, because of its sweet and powerful voice which was able to distract attention from the traditional instruments.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “distract” mean?

To divert the attention of.

Is “distract” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.

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