detractor
Americannoun
-
detractors
plural
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of detractor
First recorded in 1350–1400; from Latin dētractor, equivalent to dētract(us) “drawn away” + -or -or 2 ( def. ); see detract ( def. )
Explanation
A detractor is someone who puts you down. When you're proposing ideas at work, your detractor is the person who finds fault with everything you say. Use the noun detractor for someone who is always critical. You might describe your brother as a detractor of the government if he complains incessantly about taxes, voting, the President, and all the members of Congress. If a person takes a dislike to you in particular, he is your own personal detractor. The origin of detractor goes back to the Latin word detrahere, "take down, pull down, or disparage."
Vocabulary lists containing detractor
Americanized
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Becoming
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Part 1 Vocabulary (Unit 2)
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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.
See Examples For:
He added that Aldi's heavy reliance on packaged, private-label processed foods was a detractor compared to the natural organic options he prefers.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
Moderna was the largest detractor among the 2025 picks, falling about 30%.
From Barron's ● Dec. 12, 2025
One very vocal public detractor of the film at the time of release was “60 Minutes” correspondent Wallace.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 5, 2024
Now, even LIV’s biggest detractor at the outset, four-time major champion Rory McIlroy, has suggested the Ryder Cup gatekeepers consider easing their stance against LIV players competing for Europe.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 20, 2023
Downstairs had the same problem, and with the added detractor of being dark, and me without a flashlight.
From "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs
Senegal's ex-president Macky Sall, who is campaigning to become the next UN secretary-general, held a meeting in Dakar Friday with his successor, a visit criticised by the former leader's detractors.
From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026
The city has had its share of detractors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
I won’t defend the stock but will point out that the company’s detractors are going too far.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 16, 2026
The Duchess of Sussex is a polarising figure in the UK, provoking strong reactions among her supporters and her detractors.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
Though we can learn much about the Fox sisters’ actions from their believers and detractors, we have little direct evidence for what Maggie or Kate truly thought or felt about their lives.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
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.
