distracted

[dih-strak-tid]

adjective

1. inattentive; preoccupied.

2. having the attention diverted.

   She tossed several rocks to the far left and slipped past the distracted sentry.

3. rendered incapable of behaving, reacting, etc., in a normal manner, as by worry, remorse, or the like; irrational; disturbed.

distracted

/ dɪˈstræktɪd /

adjective

1. bewildered; confused

2. mad

Other Word Forms

• distractedly adverb
• distractedness noun
• nondistracted adjective
• nondistractedly adverb
• undistracted adjective
• undistractedly adverb
• undistractedness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of distracted¹

First recorded in 1580–90; distract + -ed ²

Example Sentences

As Dorothy pleads for the Wizard not to fly away without her, we’re distracted by hundreds of waving extras who visibly don’t give a hoot what happens to the girl.

From Los Angeles Times

Officers became distracted when a second man approached the vehicle.

From Los Angeles Times

"This chaotic reshuffle shows a Downing Street in crisis – totally distracted from fixing the damage they've done to the economy, jobs and small businesses," he added.

From BBC

In respect of BNWAS, he said "an alarm should sound in a public area", in order to ensure others were alerted should the person steering the ship become "incapacitated" or "distracted".

From BBC

Young people struggle with reading because they have "so many options" and can be "easily distracted".

From BBC

Related Words

• disturbed 
• panicked www.thesaurus.com