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
Similarly, the direction—and its corollary, the editing—allows nothing extraneous to detract attention from the script’s meticulous and sturdy construction.
—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
30 Apr. 2026
An expansion into New Mexico would add oil revenue from the Permian Basin to Texas, adding to its economy and detracting, in turn, from New Mexico's.
—
Kate Plummer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Russia is already profiting from a surge in global energy prices, and could hope that the Mideast war will detract attention from Ukraine and deplete Western arsenals.
—
ABC News,
14 Mar. 2026
The good news is that these issues are easily corrected in post-processing and do not detract much from the overall experience.
—
Tantse Walter,
Space.com,
18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for detract
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
30 Apr. 2026
An expansion into New Mexico would add oil revenue from the Permian Basin to Texas, adding to its economy and detracting, in turn, from New Mexico's.
—
Kate Plummer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Russia is already profiting from a surge in global energy prices, and could hope that the Mideast war will detract attention from Ukraine and deplete Western arsenals.
—
ABC News,
14 Mar. 2026
The good news is that these issues are easily corrected in post-processing and do not detract much from the overall experience.
—
Tantse Walter,
Space.com,
18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for detract
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detract
Verb
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The California Highway Patrol's Woodland division said traffic was being diverted off the freeway at Reed Avenue.
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Bessent did not specify how much money would be released, which entity in Qatar would control the account, where the funds would be held, what role Iran would play in directing purchases or what enforcement tools the Treasury would use to ensure the money is not diverted.
Verb
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Counsell said the 34-year-old is progressing well and could throw off a mound soon.
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Leona spoke about her brother Vernon, three years older than her, who was thrown off a spring wagon at age nine, his body bleeding and shattered from the impact.
Cite this Entry
“Detract.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detract. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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