distract
Meaning
To distract someone means to divert their attention away from something they are focused on, often leading to a decrease in their ability to concentrate.
💡 A common mistake is to confuse "distract" with "distracted," which refers to the state of being unable to concentrate rather than the action of causing distraction.
Example Sentences
Word in Context
Tom
was
trying
to
finish
his
report
at
the
kitchen
table
when
loud
music
from
the
living
room
began
to
distract
him
.
He
lowered
the
volume
and
put
his
phone
face
down
,
because
small
interruptions
often
make
it
difficult
to
concentrate
.
Although
he
was
tired
,
he
decided
to
work
in
short
focused
sessions
and
took
a
five
-
minute
break
after
each
part
.
By
the
evening
he
had
completed
the
first
draft
and
felt
proud
that
he
had
managed
his
time
better
.
Common Phrases
distract attention
easily distracted
distract from
Synonyms
Related Words
Never forget "distract"
Set a daily goal, reinforce with word cards and games, and track your progress in the Vocab5000 app — learn every B2 level word permanently with our science-based repetition system.