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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of detracting
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
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
Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detracting
Verb
-
People who attend the trial will also be prohibited from reacting, gesturing, wearing distracting clothing or otherwise disrupting the proceedings.—
Matthew Ablon,
CBS News,
1 June 2026
-
If anything, Horvath writes, ed tech broke American schools by pitching distracting multimedia to boost learning.—
Tyler Kingkade,
NBC news,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto has also vowed to prevent LA28 from diverting money to a Legacy Fund before reimbursing Los Angeles for all expenses.—
The Editorial Board,
Daily News,
28 May 2026
-
The show’s studio, 20th Television Animation, kept the annual output relatively steady, diverting the surplus episodes to its streaming platforms.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Detracting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detracting. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
