Synonyms of detract

detract

verb

di-ˈtrakt 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• divert
• throw off
• abstract
• distract
• amuse
• entertain
• call off
• stray
• wander
• beguile

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• focus
• concentrate

Example Sentences

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, deplete Western arsenals and force NATO allies to reduce military support for Kyiv. — Arkansas Online, 15 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