distracted
- 01 B1 Intermediate
adj.unable to pay attention to something because you are thinking about other things.
adj.having the attention diverted from a primary task or focus; preoccupied with secondary thoughts or stimuli.
Simple“He was so distracted by his phone that he missed his bus stop.”
In context“The student appeared increasingly distracted during the lecture, frequently glancing at the clock and doodling in the margins of her notebook.”
PitfallI was distracted from the loud noise. I was distracted by the loud noise.Use 'by' to indicate the cause of the distraction; use 'from' to indicate the task you stopped doing.
Synonyms - 02 C2 Proficiency
adj.very worried or upset, often so much that you cannot think clearly.
adj.mentally or emotionally agitated to the point of being unable to function normally; synonymous with distraught.
Simple“The family was distracted with grief after hearing the terrible news.”
In context“In the final act of the play, the distracted king wanders the cliffs, his mind broken by the betrayal of his daughters.”
Synonyms - 03 B1 Intermediate
v.the past tense of 'distract', meaning you took someone's attention away from something.
v.the past tense and past participle of the transitive verb 'distract', meaning to draw away the mind or attention.
Simple“The bright lights distracted the driver for a few seconds.”
In context“The sudden commotion in the hallway distracted the board members from the financial presentation, causing a significant delay in the vote.”
UsageAs a verb, it is transitive and requires an object.
Synonymsdivertedsidetracked