3 syllables: dis, trac, tion. Stress on trac.
/dɪˈstræk.ʃən/
Say it backDistraction refers to something that diverts attention from a task or focus. It can be a person, activity, or number of external stimuli that interrupts concentration. In psychology and everyday use, it denotes anything causing a shift of cognitive focus, often reducing efficiency or awareness of the original goal.
"The loud construction outside was a constant distraction during my study session."
"She blamed the buzzing phone for the distraction that ruined her presentation."
"His attempt to multitask failed due to a serious distraction from the main assignment."
Break it into three syllables: dis-TRAC-tion. IPA US/UK/AU: dɪˈstræk.ʃən. The main stress is on the second syllable. The first syllable has a short i like 'kit', the middle uses /æ/ as in "cat", and the final sounds merge to /ʃn̩/ or /ʃən/ after the vowel. Think: dih-STRACK-shun with the ‘tion’ sounding like 'shn' in many speakers.
Common errors include reducing the second syllable to ‘tract’ with wrong vowel, producing /dɪstrækˈʃən/ with inaccurate coda, or flattening the final /ʃn̩/ into a simple /n/ or /ən/. Correct by keeping the /æ/ in the stressed syllable and ensuring the /t/ is released before the /r/; finally, articulate a clear /n̩/ or /ən/ after the /ʃ/ to avoid a blunt ending.
In US English, the stress remains on the second syllable and the final syllable often reduces to a syllabic /n̩/ or /ən/. UK English keeps the same stress, but may have a slightly more clipped first vowel /ɪ/ and a crisper /t/ release. Australian English tends to a broader vowel in the first syllable and a more postvocalic R-less quality, with similar syllable structure but slightly more vowel reduction in rapid speech.
Two main challenges: the mid-vowel distinction in the stressed vowel /æ/ versus neighboring vowels, and the final consonant cluster /tʃn̩/ after the /æ/. The sequence /stræk/ involves an abrupt stop followed by a lateral/retroflex-like release into /ʃ/; many speakers blend /t/ and /r/ or omit the vocalic nucleus in rapid speech, resulting in ‘dis-TRAC-shn.’ Focus on the crisp /t/ release and a clear, slightly syllabic /n/ in the ending.
The ending -tion is pronounced as a syllabic or near-syllabic /ʃən/ in most varieties, not an isolated /n/; the preceding /t/ should be released firmly to avoid a blurred ‘-strac-tion’ blend. A practical tip is to practice the sequence /dɪˈstræk.ʃən/ with an audible onset to the final /ʃ/ before the syllabic /n/: dih-STRAC-shuhn.
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Distraction comes from the Latin distractio, from the verb discurrere meaning to run about in different directions; distractus is the past participle of differre, meaning to carry away, scatter, or turn aside. In Middle English, distraction appeared as disstractioun and carried the sense of diversion or instigation away from a central point. The word evolved to include psychological meaning—something that diverts attention—from the 17th century onward. The core components are dis- (apart, away) and tract (draw, pull) tracing to Latin trahere (to pull). Over time, metaphorical uses broadened to include mental diversion, neglect, or obstruction. First known use in English literature appears in the 15th-16th century, with the term becoming common in the 17th century in both religious and secular discussions about moral and cognitive focus. In contemporary usage, it spans everyday interruptions to formal clinical contexts like attention-deficit concerns, where distractibility is a core concept.
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Words that rhyme with "distraction"
-ion sounds
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