distract

/dɪˈstrækt/ (bre, ipa) · /dɪˈstrækt/ (ame, ipa) · /di-ˈstrakt/ (ame, mw)

distract — verb

  • distractpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • distractshe / she / it
  • distractedpast simple
  • distracting-ing form

1. to cause someone to lose focus on what they are doing because something else pul

1.動詞及物B1
釋義

to cause someone to lose focus on what they are doing because something else pulls their attention away

例句

Loud music from the street distracted Joon while she studied for her chemistry exam.

Young children are easily distracted by bright colours and sudden movements.

passive: be easily distracted by [stimuli]

同義詞
  • divert

    more formal, often used for rerouting attention or resources rather than just breaking focus

  • occupy

    suggests keeping someone busy or engaged, not necessarily pulling focus away from something else

反義詞
  • focus

    to direct and hold attention steadily on one thing

  • concentrate

    to give all your attention to a task without letting other things interfere

文法句型

distract + object + from + noun/gerund

distract + object + with + noun

be distracted by + noun

用法筆記

The object is often a person or an animal whose concentration is broken. The thing causing the loss of focus is introduced by the preposition 'by' in passive sentences. 'From' introduces the activity that was interrupted. 'With' introduces the thing used to pull attention away.

常見錯誤

❌The noise disturbed me from my homework.
✅The noise distracted me from my homework.
💡'disturb' means to interrupt or bother; 'distract' means to pull attention away.
❌I was distracting by the television.
✅I was distracted by the television.
💡In passive constructions, the past participle 'distracted' is needed, not the present participle.

distract — adjective