detract
verb
de·tract
| \ di-ˈtrakt
, dē-\
, dē-\
detracted;
detracting;
detracts
Definition of detract
: to diminish the importance, value, or effectiveness of something
—often used with from small errors that do not seriously detract from the book
1
: divert
didn't mean to detract attention from the guest of honor
2
archaic
: to speak ill of
3
archaic
: to take away
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Other Words from detract
detractor
\ di-ˈtrak-tər
, dē- \
noun
, dē- \
noun
Synonyms for detract
Synonyms
abstract, call off, distract, divert, throw off
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Examples of detract in a Sentence
numerous typos in the text detract the reader's attention from the novel's intricate plot
Recent Examples on the Web
For those of us who are trying to eat healthier, seeing the artery-clogging junk fare during commercial breaks detracts from the game — and sometimes, even more regrettably, tempts the eyes. — Courtland Milloy, Washington Post, "Calling personal foul on the food ads this football season and changing the game," 10 Sep. 2019 But these welcome moments of levity never detract from the fundamental seriousness of the subject matter. — Neil Young, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Overseas': Film Review | Locarno 2019," 22 Aug. 2019 But overreliance on algorithms could detract from efforts to understand the drivers of suicide risk through intensive patient interviews. — Kelly Servick, Science | AAAS, "Suicide attempts are hard to anticipate. A study that tracks teens’ cellphone use aims to change that," 21 Aug. 2019 Only one thing could detract from all this: If Pacquiao decides this isn’t the end. — Bill Dwyre, Los Angeles Times, "Commentary: Manny Pacquiao’s victory would be the ultimate farewell to a storied career," 21 July 2019 Still, that shouldn't detract from the fact that the first half of his career in management was remarkable. — SI.com, "Giovanni Trapattoni: A Career of 2 Halves That Defined the Golden Era of Calcio at Juventus," 12 Aug. 2019 But all the objections are hard to take seriously, because all this performative drama detracts for the real budget problem no one will address: entitlements. — Allison Schrager, Quartz, "Critics of the congressional budget deal are ignoring the really big deal," 24 July 2019 The efficiency improvements don't detract from the Model S experience. — David Williams For Cnn, CNN, "950 miles in two days. Taking an electric road trip in a Tesla," 25 July 2019 Whatever the primary reason, the timing of Sanders' retirement shouldn't detract from his legacy. — Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press, "18-game NFL season would be a disaster; keep an eye on holdouts," 17 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'detract.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for detract
detract
verb
de·tract
| \ di-ˈtrakt
\
\
detracted;
detracting
Kids Definition of detract
: to take away (as from value or importance)
Signs detract from the beauty of the scenery.
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