detractive

Also de·trac·to·ry

[dih-trak-tiv]

adjective

1. tending or seeking to detract.

Other Word Forms

• detractively adverb
• detractiveness noun
• nondetractive adjective
• nondetractively adverb
• nondetractory adjective
• undetractive adjective
• undetractively adverb
• undetractory adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of detractive¹

From the Middle French word detractif, dating back to 1480–90. See detract, -ive

Example Sentences

By naming Breitbart News’ Stephen Bannon as his top campaign executive, Trump is taking a detractive, rather than additive approach to voter engagement, even among would-be allies on the right. Recently,

From Salon

Beyond this, the detractive gossip attacked the personnel of the new company.

From Project Gutenberg

Well, I'll knock under; I'll agree to your high estimate of them, intellectually and morally, only with that detractive element of poverty which makes even clever men submissive, and occasionally squeezes conscience into a compromise.

From Project Gutenberg

Doth a man reproach thee for being proud or ill-natured, envious or conceited, ignorant or detractive, consider with thyself whether his reproaches be true.

From Project Gutenberg