Meaning & use

distracted

adjective·Everyday

Unable to concentrate because attention has been drawn away by something else.

See it in a sentence

He seemed distracted during dinner, checking his phone every few minutes.

A distracted driver is far more likely to miss a sudden hazard on the road.

A note on using this word

Distracted is often followed by 'by' to name the cause, as in 'distracted by noise from the street.'

Words with a similar meaning

preoccupiedinattentive

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

focusedattentive

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “distracted”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.