as in distracting
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 detracting
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
Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detracting
Verb
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Also, higher oil prices mean more income for Russia, and the war in Iran is distracting the world from Putin’s war in Ukraine.—
Tom Zirpoli,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Mar. 2026
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Additional creature comforts also can be nice but distracting.—
Metro Creative Services,
Boston Herald,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is diverting millions of barrels of crude to a port on its Red Sea coast, helping the world’s top exporter maintain some supplies.—
Arsalan Shahla,
Fortune,
7 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
Cite this Entry
“Detracting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detracting. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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