distracting from

USAGE SUMMARY

"distracting from" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when talking about a situation or a person being taken away from a focus or task. For example, "The loud noise was distracting from my concentration."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Arts

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Abbott criticised the leak for distracting from the citizenship announcement.

The Guardian

Maybe they don't want womanly curves distracting from their genius.

The New York Times

Games officials have denied the row is distracting from the competition.

The Guardian - Sport

Their cross-cultural chants fill the galleries, adding to, rather than distracting from, the other works.

The New York Times - Arts

Which, both are completely false… Getting that kind of reaction was distracting from the real focus.

The New Yorker

Ms. Eltahawy fears that this muscle-flexing is distracting from more important matters.

The New York Times

Above all, divestment campaigns risk distracting from more directly effective activities.

The New Yorker

Nearly half say his national barnstorming is distracting from his work at City Hall.

The Economist

They career from one gag to the next, distracting from and even sometimes eclipsing the plot.

The New York Times - Arts

Were you ever concerned your story would become more about him, distracting from the disclosures themselves?

The Guardian - Film

I deliberately kept the colours light, to stop them distracting from the character of the outlines.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about something important, consider how to minimise distractions in order to keep the main focus clearly highlighted in the eyes of the readers.

Common error

Avoid using "distracting from" without a clear subject and object. Ensure it's evident what is doing the distracting and what is being distracted from. For instance, rewrite "The noise was distracting" to "The loud noise from the street was distracting from my work".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "distracting from" functions as a prepositional phrase indicating a diversion of attention. It connects a cause of distraction to the affected focus. Ludwig AI validates the grammatical correctness and usability of this expression.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

47%

Arts

18%

Science

13%

Less common in

Wiki

7%

Formal & Business

3%

Academia

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "distracting from" is a versatile and grammatically sound expression used to describe the diversion of attention. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and frequent use across various domains. It's most commonly found in News & Media and Arts contexts and can be substituted with phrases like "diverting attention from" or "detracting from". When using "distracting from", ensure clarity regarding the distraction's source and target.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

detracting from

Similar in meaning, but can also imply a negative impact on the original subject.

diverting attention from

Focuses on the act of diverting attention, highlighting the shift in focus.

drawing focus away from

Highlights the act of attracting attention away from the original subject.

drawing attention from

Highlights the act of attracting attention away from something.

shifting the focus from

Directly indicates a change in what is being emphasized.

pulling focus from

Emphasis on the idea of 'pulling' the attention away.

taking away from

Emphasizes the reduction or loss of something due to the distraction.

overshadowing

Indicates a more dominant distraction that reduces the prominence of the original subject.

obscuring

Implies that the distraction hides or makes something less clear.

clouding

Implies the distraction makes something more ambiguous and hard to see.

FAQs

How can "distracting from" be used in a sentence?

"Distracting from" is used to describe something that diverts attention away from something else. For example, "The constant notifications were distracting from my study session".

What are some alternatives to "distracting from"?

Alternatives include "diverting attention from", "detracting from", or "taking away from" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "distracting from"?

Yes, "distracting from" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase in English to indicate something is diverting attention.

How does "detracting from" differ from "distracting from"?

While both phrases indicate diversion, "detracting from" often implies a negative impact or lessening of value, whereas "distracting from" simply means diverting attention without necessarily implying a negative consequence.