Definition
In a multiple-choice test question, the incorrect answer choices offered alongside the correct answer. Distractors are deliberately written to appear plausible so that a learner who does not fully understand the material may be drawn to one of them instead of the correct response.
Plain English
The wrong answers in a multiple-choice question. They are written to look like they could be right, so a learner who only half-knows the topic might pick one by mistake.
Context Anchor
Seen in aviation instructor training, written test design, and discussions of how to build fair multiple-choice questions.
Derivation
From the verb 'distract,' meaning to draw attention away from something. A distractor in a test question is an answer choice designed to draw the learner's attention away from the correct answer.
Why Pilots Care
Recognizing distractors helps pilots prepare for FAA tests by anticipating the exact mistakes that commonly cause failure.
Intuition Check
Distractors are not distractions in the cockpit. In this testing context, they are the wrong answer choices placed next to the correct one.
Example Sentence 1
When writing the quiz, the instructor made sure each question had three believable distractors so students could not pass by guessing.
Example Sentence 2
Good distractors let the instructor see precisely which part of the lesson the student misunderstood.