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.