distract

Verb

Verb Forms: distracted, distracting, distracts

To divert the attention of someone from something.
draw someone's attention away from something
- "The thief distracted the bystanders"
disturb in mind or make uneasy or cause to be worried or alarmed
To divert the attention of.
To make crazy or insane; to drive to distraction.

Adj

Drawn asunder; separated.
Insane, mad.

Examples

A clever opponent might try to DISTRACT you with chatter during your turn in Scrabble.
The crowd was distracted by a helicopter hovering over the stadium when the only goal of the game was scored.

Origin / Etymology

Borrowed from Latin distractus, from distrahō (“to pull apart”), from dis- + trahō (“to pull”).

Synonyms

cark, deflect, disorder, disquiet, perturb, trouble, unhinge

Scrabble Score: 11

distract: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
distract: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
distract: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 12

distract: valid Words With Friends Word