Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Having one's attention drawn away or diverted: Unable to concentrate because one's mind is preoccupied with other thoughts, worries, or external stimuli.
   • In a state of mental confusion or agitation: Feeling or appearing flustered, troubled, or unable to focus due to anxiety or multiple demands.

Usage

• The adjective distracted describes a person's state of mind. It is often used with verbs like , , , or .
• It can be followed by a prepositional phrase starting with or to indicate the cause of the distraction.

Examples

• Adjective:
  • She was too distracted by the noise outside to finish her homework.
  • The distracted driver didn't see the red light.
  • He seemed distracted and anxious during the meeting.

Advanced Usage

• "to be distracted from something": to have one's attention taken away from a specific task or subject.
  • The constant phone notifications distracted her from her studies.
• "distractedly" (Adverb): in a distracted manner.
  • He answered distractedly, his mind clearly elsewhere.

Variants and Related Words

• Distract (verb): To draw someone's attention away from something.
  • The loud music distracted the students.
• Distraction (noun): Something that distracts; the state of being distracted.
  • Social media is a major distraction for many people.
• Undistracted (adjective): Not distracted; focused.
  • She worked in undistracted silence.

Synonyms

• Preoccupied: Engrossed in thought; mentally absorbed elsewhere.
• Inattentive: Not paying proper attention.
• Absent-minded: Inattentive or forgetful due to being lost in thought.

Antonyms

• Focused: Paying close attention.
• Attentive: Paying close attention to something.
• Concentrated: Having all one's attention directed toward one thing.

Related Phrases

• "Driven to distraction": Made extremely annoyed or agitated.
  • The constant delays drove the passengers to distraction.

Adjective

1. having the attention diverted especially because of anxiety