distract
Pull attention elsewhere
To distract is to pull attention away from something.
A loud noise distracts you from reading; you distract a crying child with a toy.
The word often implies unwanted interruption: I keep getting distracted by my phone.
But distraction can be welcome—entertainment distracts from worry, a friend distracts you from grief.
To be distracted is to have your focus divided or scattered.
Cause light enjoyment
- divertCause to change course
- occupyFill or dwell in
- engageActively participate or connect
- absorbTake in fully
engross · beguile · preoccupy · captivate · keep busy · regale · delight · charm
Break in upon
- disturbInterrupt or trouble
- interfereObstruct or meddle uninvited
- intrudeEnter uninvited
- botherTo annoy or disturb
pester · unsettle · disorganize · scatter · fragment · hamper · hinder · impede
Cause false belief
- feintDeceptive mock attack
- decoyFalse target for misdirection
- trickDeliberate deception
- misdirectLead away from truth
bluff · fake out · disinform · red herring · smoke screen · diversionary · ruse · ploy
Divert from purpose
- deflectTurn from course
- redirectSend in new direction
- draw awayMove gradually apart
- avertPrevent or deflect
lead astray · decoy · derail · detour · misdirect · veer · shunt · turn aside
Thing that tempts
- enticeAttract by offering appeal
- seduceLure into intimacy
- allureAttractive, tempting quality
- baitLure for prey
attract · draw · tantalize · beckon · call away · siren · temptation · pull
Focused mental awareness
- concentrationSustained single-minded attention
- mind-wanderingUnfocused, spontaneous thought
- daydreamingIdle mental wandering
- inattentionLack of focus
scatterbrained · unfocused · absent-minded · preoccupied · zoning out · spacing out · wandering thoughts · lost in thought
amuse
Cause light enjoyment
absorb · engross · beguile · preoccupy · captivate · keep busy · regale · delight · charm · fascinate
interrupt
Break in upon
bother · pester · unsettle · disorganize · scatter · fragment · hamper · hinder · impede · throw off
mislead
Cause false belief
misdirect · bluff · fake out · disinform · red herring · smoke screen · diversionary · ruse · ploy · stratagem
sidetrack
Divert from purpose
avert · lead astray · decoy · derail · detour · misdirect · veer · shunt · turn aside · bypass
lure
Thing that tempts
bait · attract · draw · tantalize · beckon · call away · siren · temptation · pull · magnetize
attention
Focused mental awareness
- concentrationSustained single-minded attention
- mind-wanderingUnfocused, spontaneous thought
- daydreamingIdle mental wandering
inattention · scatterbrained · unfocused · absent-minded · preoccupied · zoning out · spacing out · wandering thoughts · lost in thought · drifting
- DIS- wordsdisagree, disallow, disbelieve, disapprove, disarray
- mind gamesmind game, head game, head games, mind games, intimidation
- stallingstall, stalling, delay, hesitate, procrastinate
- digressionsdigression, tangent, aside, sidetrack, detour
- meddlingmeddle, meddler, butt in, horn in, intrude
- concealmentconceal, hiding, concealing, concealed, hide
- driven to distractionIntensely annoyed, can't concentrate
- distracted drivingVehicle control while mentally elsewhere
- distracted driverSomeone operating vehicle carelessly
- drives to distractionAnnoys beyond endurance
- drove to distractionCaused extreme irritation
- driving to distractionProvoking extreme agitation
distraction, distracted, distracting, distraught, distracts, distractions, distractedly, distrait, distractor