as in distracted
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 detracted
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.
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Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2025
Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detracted
Verb
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Several reasons were to blame for the scary-low turnout, including a dearth of new releases as well as the misfortune of Halloween landing on a Friday, which meant families were distracted by trick-or-treating.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
2 Nov. 2025
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Once written, the script’s fantastic promise distracted its readers from the fatal holes in its plot.—
Elizabeth D. Samet,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Following the crash, the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office announced on Facebook that the westbound lane of I-10 near the 534-mile marker was closed and that traffic was being diverted.—
Sam Gillette,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
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The flight was diverted to Boston Logan International Airport, and Usiripalli was taken into custody.—
Cindy Von Quednow,
CNN Money,
28 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Detracted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detracted. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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