as in to divert
to draw the attention or mind to something else
numerous typos in the text detract the reader's attention from the novel's intricate plot
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Recent Examples of detract
This means that a gorgeously speckled antique mirror can stun in the powder bath without detracting any purpose from the space.
—
Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 17 Dec. 2025
Some asserted that the commitment and costs of traveling and attending meetings paired with the limited compensation was detracting members of the public from running for office.
—Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 19 Sep. 2025
And despite doubling the one-off charge paid by high-net-worth individuals on their foreign income to 200,000 euros ($233,000) in 2024, this has done little to detract demand for la dolce vita.
—Karen Gilchrist, CNBC, 5 Sep. 2025
For Loeffler, a 50-year-old father of three kids, those ever-expanding duties demanded too much time and detracted too much attention from the objects of his sports obsessions.
—Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detract
Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 17 Dec. 2025
Some asserted that the commitment and costs of traveling and attending meetings paired with the limited compensation was detracting members of the public from running for office.
—Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 19 Sep. 2025
And despite doubling the one-off charge paid by high-net-worth individuals on their foreign income to 200,000 euros ($233,000) in 2024, this has done little to detract demand for la dolce vita.
—Karen Gilchrist, CNBC, 5 Sep. 2025
For Loeffler, a 50-year-old father of three kids, those ever-expanding duties demanded too much time and detracted too much attention from the objects of his sports obsessions.
—Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detract
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detract
Verb
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China may also welcome Washington’s attention and military resources being diverted away from the Indo-Pacific, experts said.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
4 Mar. 2026
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This marks the first example of a ship diverting from Europe to Asia during the current price spike, the firm said.—
Lee Ying Shan,Anniek Bao,Victor Loh,
CNBC,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Her discomfort with the formal technique seems to throw off her traditional character work, as well.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
5 Mar. 2026
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Miler, currently dealing with lower back tightness, is scheduled to throw a side session on Wednesday after being limited to throwing off flat ground.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Detract.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detract. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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