Distraction

Pronunciation

• IPA: /dɪsˈtɹækʃən/
• Rhymes: -ækʃən

Origin

See to distract.

Full definition of distraction

Noun

1. Something that distracts.
• 1913, w, Lord Stranleigh Abroad Chapter 4, “… This is a surprise attack, and I’d no wish that the garrison, forewarned, should escape. I am sure, Lord Stranleigh, that he has been descanting on the distraction of the woods and the camp, or perhaps the metropolitan dissipation of Philadelphia, …”
2. Poking one's eye is a good distraction from a hurting toe.
3. The process of being distracted.
• 2013-06-21, Oliver Burkeman, The tao of tech, The dirty secret of the internet is that all this distraction and interruption is immensely profitable. Web companies like to boast about "creating compelling content", or offering services that let you "stay up to date with what your friends are doing",...and so on. But the real way to build a successful online business is to be better than your rivals at undermining people's control of their own attention.
4. We have to reduce distraction in class if we want students to achieve good results.
5. Perturbation; disorder; disturbance; confusion.
• 1662 Thomas Salusbury, Galileo's dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems (Dialogue 2):It's true that the Copernican Systeme introduceth distraction in the universe of Aristotle.
6. Mental disorder; a deranged state of mind; insanity.
   The incessant nightmares drove him to distraction.