detraction
Americannoun
noun
-
a person, thing, circumstance, etc, that detracts
-
the act of discrediting or detracting from another's reputation, esp by slander; disparagement
Etymology
Origin of detraction
1300–50; Middle English (< Anglo-French ) < Late Latin dētractiōn- (stem of dētractiō ), equivalent to Latin dētract ( us ) ( see detract) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
A detraction is the opposite of an attraction––it is something bad about someone or something. If you love peace and quiet and you’re thinking about buying a house, a location on a major road would be a detraction. Detraction comes from detract, which means to diminish, or to speak badly of someone or something. If you run for office, it is bad form to spew detractions of your opponent’s character. Unfortunately, this is exactly how many political campaigns work. Detractions can also be interferences. The noise of the party next door might be a detraction from your attention while you’re studying.
Vocabulary lists containing detraction
The Tragedy of Macbeth
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Much Ado About Nothing
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Twelfth Night
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For the Logan community the charter has long been an unwanted detraction from their efforts.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 16, 2025
His relatively modest number of caps, in contrast to some of the other players in that World Cup winning side, is no detraction from his talent.
From BBC • Dec. 23, 2022
“I wouldn’t go for a political speech, a detraction from the purpose of the day. And the purpose of the day is really all of us together celebrating the nation’s birthday. That’s why we go.”
From Washington Post • Jun. 18, 2019
The one detraction this season is that The Knick seems to be trying a little too hard to draw the parallels between modern New York and the one 114 years ago.
From The Guardian • Oct. 16, 2015
Scarcely one had a kind word for him; on the contrary, he found nothing but suspicion, jealousy and detraction, and even charges of fabricating the whole story of having found Livingstone.
From Stanley's Adventures in the Wilds of Africa A Graphic Account of the Several Expeditions of Henry M. Stanley into the Heart of the Dark Continent by Headley, Joel Tyler
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
