as in critic
a person who criticizes something or someone
Despite his popularity, his many detractors still think his work is overrated. Even her detractors had to admit that she had made the company successful.
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Recent Examples of detractor
Hiller had his detractors for much of the season, but survived every lull and disappointment until the Kings were eviscerated by the Edmonton Oilers, 8-1, on Thursday.
—
Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 1 Mar. 2026
The crackdown has been divisive, with detractors citing the separation of relatives and violent clashes between agents and protesters.
—Uwa Ede-Osifo, Dallas Morning News, 27 Feb. 2026
Just like the book, the film has its detractors.
—Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 27 Feb. 2026
The Barrera firing is the big one, to be clear, but that’s not the only reason the film has earned its share of detractors ahead of its release.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2026
The problem for some MLS supporters, and for the league’s detractors, is the unending pursuit of overaged global stars.
—Paul Tenorio, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2026
Trump has turned heads with eye-popping looks since reentering the White House in January 2025, which both delighted her fans and frustrated detractors.
—Jay Stahl, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
Although many say GOs are vital to promote the Earth’s decarbonization, the system has its detractors.
—Jennifer McDermott, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
Amid detractors, financial obstacles and technical challenges, the construction of the Statue of Liberty becomes a constant battle.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 20 Feb. 2026
Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 1 Mar. 2026
The crackdown has been divisive, with detractors citing the separation of relatives and violent clashes between agents and protesters.
—Uwa Ede-Osifo, Dallas Morning News, 27 Feb. 2026
Just like the book, the film has its detractors.
—Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 27 Feb. 2026
The Barrera firing is the big one, to be clear, but that’s not the only reason the film has earned its share of detractors ahead of its release.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2026
The problem for some MLS supporters, and for the league’s detractors, is the unending pursuit of overaged global stars.
—Paul Tenorio, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2026
Trump has turned heads with eye-popping looks since reentering the White House in January 2025, which both delighted her fans and frustrated detractors.
—Jay Stahl, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
Although many say GOs are vital to promote the Earth’s decarbonization, the system has its detractors.
—Jennifer McDermott, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
Amid detractors, financial obstacles and technical challenges, the construction of the Statue of Liberty becomes a constant battle.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 20 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detractor
Noun
-
The caveat is that the most prominent critic is ourselves, which is why being gentle and empathetic to our personal causes and those of others is essential.—
Lisa Stardust,
Vogue,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Under former President Bashar Assad, Syria was among Iran's closest regional allies and a staunch critic of Israel, yet a statement from its foreign ministry singularly condemned Iran, reflecting the new government's efforts to rebuild ties with regional economic heavyweights and the United States.—
CLAUDIA CIOBANU,
Arkansas Online,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In turn, the criticizer is made out to be overreacting.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Detractor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detractor. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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