distraction

/dɪsˈtɹæk.ʃən/

//dɪsˈtɹæk.ʃən// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"distraction" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“distraction” has 18 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #9,876. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#9,876
frequency rank, English
3,470
“D” headwords
18
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Something that distracts.

Corpus desk

Index EN-distraction · distraction · English

distraction · rank #9,876 · 18 variants · 4 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #9,876
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 4 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 18 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,470
  • PHOTO-FINISH disco

Nearest frequency peer: disco (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “distraction”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “distraction” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

distraction vs destruction
82% similar
distraction vs distinction
82% similar
distraction vs distracting
82% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for distraction
PropertyValue
Headworddistraction
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/dɪsˈtɹæk.ʃən/
Letters11
Frequency rank#9,876
Misspellings tracked18
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “distraction”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).distractionlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “disco” (#9,875), “dom” (#9,877), “developmental” (#9,874). Among 3,470 “D” headwords, “distraction” is #9,876. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 18 spelling variants around distraction (IPA /dɪsˈtɹæk.ʃən/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #9,876 among 3,470 “D” headwords. Wiktionary lists 5 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 18 likely wrong-spelling variants for distraction, with forms such as "ddistraction", "disrtaction", and "disstraction". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 4 confusable-pair relationships, "destruction", "distinction", "distracting", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Middle French distraction, from Latin distractio. Equivalent to distract + -ion. The correct English form is distraction, spelled D-I-S-T-R-A-C-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Something that distracts.
  2. 2
    The process of being distracted.
  3. 3
    Perturbation; disorder; disturbance; confusion.
  4. 4
    Mental disarray; a deranged state of mind; insanity.
  5. 5
    Traction so exerted as to separate surfaces normally opposed.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how distraction appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Poking one's eye is a good distraction from a hurting toe.
  2. At last the Duke of Anjou arrived, dressed, as his brother said, to distraction.

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French distraction, from Latin distractio. Equivalent to distract + -ion.

This word in other languages

distracción(Español)distraction(Français)Ablenkung(Deutsch)distração(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ddistraction
  • disrtaction
  • disstraction
  • distarction
  • distracction
  • distraciton
  • distracsion
  • distractino
  • distractionn
  • distractoin
  • distracttion
  • distratcion
  • distrcation
  • distrraction
  • disttraction
  • ditsraction
  • dsitraction
  • idstraction

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of distraction - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ddistraction1disrtaction2disstraction1distarction2distracction1distraciton2distracsion1distractino2
Edit distance from "distraction"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "distraction"?
"distraction" is spelled D-I-S-T-R-A-C-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪsˈtɹæk.ʃən/.
What does "distraction" mean?
As a noun, "distraction" means: Something that distracts.
What words are commonly confused with "distraction"?
"distraction" is commonly confused with "destruction", "distinction", "distracting". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "distraction"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "distraction" is /dɪsˈtɹæk.ʃən/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "distraction"?
Borrowed from Middle French distraction, from Latin distractio. Equivalent to distract + -ion. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "distraction", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 11 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

conventions#9,865compromised#9,863lightweight#9,914negotiation#9,922

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (18 here; floor ≥5).

Springfield18 variantsquestionable18 variantscommunicating18 variantsmodification18 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list