Definition of detract
transitive verb
1 archaic : to speak ill of
2 archaic : to take away
3 : divert didn't mean to detract attention from the guest of honor
intransitive verb
: to diminish the importance, value, or effectiveness of something —often used with from small errors that do not seriously detract from the book
From the M-W Editors
Examples of detract in a Sentence
numerous typos in the text detract the reader's attention from the novel's intricate plot
Recent Examples of detract from the Web
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That detracts a bit from Simons’ extra layer of otherworldliness that a disembodied voice adds to Brautigan’s bizarre post-apocalyptic tale of a world called iDEATH.
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Angelos wanted to fire Regan after the Orioles’ disappointing season reached a nadir with four straight losses in Boston, but the owner held off, thinking a change would detract from the streak celebration soon to occur.
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Of course, the military’s instrumentalization of large crowds June 30 does not detract from the significant popular opposition to Morsi’s divisive and frequently incompetent presidency.
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Rather than detracting from its variety, joining the union has simply added another layer of identity to this state.
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The rest required no adornment, though a drizzle of that salsa certainly didn’t detract.
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LOS ANGELES — Not even the Julio Urias season-ending surgery news can detract the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are on a hitting tear.
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Just 30 percent of any exposed skin, such as an arm, can be tattooed, and then the images or words can’t be offensive or detract from a professional image.
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The collection was muted but that did not detract from its beauty. ___ This story has been corrected to show that Vuitton designer Kim Jones is a man, not a woman.
These 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.
Origin and Etymology of detract
Middle English, from Latin detractus, past participle of detrahere to pull down, disparage, from de- + trahere to draw
DETRACT Defined for Kids
detract
playDefinition of detract for Students
detracted
;detracting
: to take away (as from value or importance) Signs detract from the beauty of the scenery.
Learn More about detract
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See words that rhyme with detract Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for detract Spanish Central: Translation of detract Nglish: Translation of detract for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of detract for Arabic speakers
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