Synonyms for distract
dɪˈstræktdis·tract

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:2.4 / 5 votes

1. distractverb

   The central idea of withdrawing makes abstract in common speech a euphemism for appropriate (unlawfully), purloin, steal. In mental processes we discriminate between objects by distinguishing their differences; we separate some one element from all that does not necessarily belong to it, abstract it, and view it alone. We may separate two ideas, and hold both in mind in comparison or contrast; but when we abstract one of them, we drop the other out of thought. The mind is abstracted when it is withdrawn from all other subjects and concentrated upon one, diverted when it is drawn away from what it would or should attend to by some other interest, distracted when the attention is divided among different subjects, so that it can not be given properly to any. The trouble with the distracted person is that he is not abstracted. Compare DISCERN.

   Synonyms:
   abstract, appropriate, detach, discriminate, distinguish, divert, eliminate, purloin, remove, separate, steal, take away, withdraw

   Antonyms:
   add, combine, complete, conjoin, fill up, increase, restore, strengthen, unite

   Preposition:
   The purse may be abstracted from the pocket; the substance from the accidents; a book into a compend.

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:1.7 / 3 votes

1. distract

   Synonyms:
   divide, dissipate, dissever, disconcert, discompose, perplex, bewilder, convulse, madden, disturb

   Antonyms:
   unite, fix, concentrate, collect, compose

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:3.0 / 2 votes

1. distract, deflectverb

   draw someone's attention away from something

   "The thief distracted the bystanders"; "He deflected his competitors"

   Synonyms:
   forfend, unhinge, disorder, avert, ward off, disquiet, bend, obviate, perturb, fend off, stave off, block, debar, avoid, head off, forefend, parry, trouble, turn away, deflect, cark

2. perturb, unhinge, disquiet, trouble, cark, distract, disorderverb

   disturb in mind or make uneasy or cause to be worried or alarmed

   "She was rather perturbed by the news that her father was seriously ill"

   Synonyms:
   unhinge, disorder, perturb, inconvenience oneself, upset, inconvenience, ail, discommode, disquiet, bother, cark, deflect, put out, incommode, disoblige, pain, disarray, throw out of kilter, trouble, disturb, trouble oneself, derange

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:4.0 / 1 vote

1. distractverb

   Synonyms:
   perplex, confuse, discompose, harass, disturb, disconcert, bewilder, confound, mystify, embarrass

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "distract":

   divert, deflect, amuse, entertain, hijack, detract

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How to use distract in a sentence?

1. Julie Rish:

   Keeping a positive environment makes it harder to make an unhealthy choice and it also helps you to delay a response to the craving, those cravings peak over 15 to 20 minutes and if you can just delay them and distract yourself for that long the cravings start to come down on their own.

2. Aurora Berill:

   The past is immutable. Don't let it distract you from your current goals and ambitions.

3. Thierry Henry:

   I am taking this opportunity to announce that unfortunately Saturday was my last game for Red Bulls, the decision has always been that I would leave after the duration of my contract and although that was never going to change, I didn't want it to distract from the progress of the team.

4. Johnson Hostler:

   I've had a lot of our members, especially sexual assault survivors, emailing me, asking if this is going to distract from the broader, bigger problem of sexual assault on campus, they're worried that fallout from one story is going to give people a reason to believe campus sexual assault isn't a real problem or it's been overhyped.

5. Jordan Abudayyeh:

   The people of this state and this nation have unfortunately come to expect his unhinged attempts to politicize tragedy with his predictable and worn-out strategy to distract, distract, distract.