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distractor

distractor

1 5.1
Something that takes your attention away from what you should be doing
  • noun
  • /dɪˈstræktər/
translation icon : distractor
  • Watching television can be a big distractor when you are trying to finish your homework.

You know, one of the great distractors in life that you know steals people's joy is the media.

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Examples

  • Others see the emphasis on decoding as a distractor, turning children off to reading.

    Academic text (1999)

  • Noise may be a distractor in the environment.

    Academic text (2012)

  • Exercise, activity, and socializing to improve mood and as a distractor from pain.

    Academic text (2012)

  • Students' social development often frustrates educators and may serve as a distractor in an academic environment.

    Academic text (2014)

  • After a set of words, the participants are asked to recall the to-be-recalled words and to avoid recalling words from the distractor activity.

    Academic text (2012)

  • Some individuals are virtually unaffected by the distractors, whereas others show a major disruption of their performance under these conditions.

    Academic text (1990)

  • But again, I think Yulia is right in that be careful about having visual distractors when you don't really need them there.

  • The loud music became a distractor for the students trying to study in the library.

  • Social media is often a distractor for people working from home, making it hard to concentrate.

Synonyms

distraction
vsdistractor
234 2.9

Something that takes your attention away from what you are doing

is the same idea but often used for a single thing causing lost focus
diverter
vsdistractor
6.4

A person or thing that draws attention away from something else

is the thing that takes attention away rather than the actor causing it

Antonyms

focus
794 3.5

Close attention to one subject or activity

engagement
78 3.9

Taking part in a group's activities

How Distracting

disruption
126 4.1
interruption
99 3.0
distraction
234 2.9
distractor
1 5.1
diversion
61 3.9

Surface Forms

distractor singular
distractors plural

Morphology

distractor = distract (transparent) = distract + or

Regular agent nominalization from the verb 'distract' denoting something that diverts attention; straightforward for learners.

Etymology

Distractor comes from dis- 'apart' and tract 'pull'. A helpful picture is something that 'pulls' your attention away—like a loud noise that drags you from your work—which is why a distractor is anything that takes your focus from what you should be doing.