1
as in confusion
a state of mental uncertainty
in my distraction I forgot where I was
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in frenzy
a state of wildly excited activity or emotion
driven to distraction by the constant screaming and bickering in the house
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3
as in entertainment
the act or activity of providing pleasure or amusement especially for the public
the founder of a recovery program who doesn't view gambling as a harmless distraction for people of modest means
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4
as in diversion
someone or something that provides amusement or enjoyment
a harmless distraction for children at the playground
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of distraction
This is about investing time and energy in something long-lasting rather than in distractions.
—
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
Now even the people who built those humanoids are treating them as a distraction.
—Eric Sullivan, Scientific American, 6 Jan. 2026
Protesters also said Maduro’s capture is a distraction from domestic issues.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 5 Jan. 2026
But on New Year’s Eve, a tragedy in Switzerland forced a harder look at what happens when danger and distraction collide.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for distraction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distraction
Noun
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Multiple helpers can slow response during urgent scams and create confusion when fast decisions matter.—
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The category confusion continued this year.—
Noun
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Travelers not seeking football frenzy should avoid the fall, when hotel and airfare prices skyrocket and crowds are large.—
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January was set to host a free-agent frenzy, with most league veterans aligning their contracts to expire in advance of the new CBA.—
Noun
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Dame Helen Mirren was named the recipient of the 2026 Cecil B, DeMille Award at the Golden Globes for her contribution to the film and entertainment industries.—
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Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.—
Noun
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Those diversions have essentially prevented an overcapacity situation from cramping the global supply chain that has already seen plenty of congestion at Asian and European ports throughout 2025.—
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Yet the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has stated that Hamas was not responsible for widespread aid diversion.—
Noun
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Freezing fog makes driving, boating, flying, and other forms of transportation particularly hazardous.—
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Streetlights flickered before large parts of the city were plunged into darkness, as a thick fog settled over the streets and temperatures plummeted to –5 degrees Celsius (23 degrees Fahrenheit).—
Noun
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The agent took this to be a reference to the multifaceted terror rampage in France, which killed at least 130 people in 2015.—
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Trump’s rampage through federal programs has proven a liability there.—
Noun
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Even as his Reddit-haunting admirers still parse his lyrics for hidden meanings, his spirit surely looks down on them with wry amusement at his fans’ unending search for profundity.—
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Unidentified plainclothes dudes then dragged her out of the high school auditorium while other Idahoans watched — some in amusement, others not so much.—
Noun
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Japan draws thirtysomethings with its diverse attractions, from culinary delights to swift transportation, catering to travelers' varied interests.—
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Taco Bell's menu is ever-changing, bringing back fan favorites while creating new culinary delights for customers to love.—
Cite this Entry
“Distraction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distraction. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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