detract

American  

[dih-trakt] / dɪˈtrækt /

verb (used without object)

• detracts,
  present (3rd person singular)
• detracted,
  past participle,  past
• detracting
  present participle

1. to take away a part, as from quality, value, or reputation (usually followed byfrom ).

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verb (used with object)

• detracts,
  present (3rd person singular)
• detracted,
  past participle,  past
• detracting
  present participle

1. to draw away or divert; distract.

   to detract another's attention from more important issues.

2. Archaic. to take away (a part); abate.

   The dilapidated barn detracts charm from the landscape.

detract British  

/ dɪˈtrækt /

verb

1. to take away a part (of); diminish

   her anger detracts from her beauty

2. (tr) to distract or divert

3. obsolete (tr) to belittle or disparage

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Usage

Detract is sometimes wrongly used where distract is meant: a noise distracted (not detracted ) my attention

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• detractor
  noun
• detractive
  adjective
• undetracting
  adjective
• detractingly
  adverb
• detractively
  adverb
• undetractingly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• detracting
  present
• detracted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• detract
  simple
• detracts
  simple
• have detracted
  perfect
• has detracted
  perfect
• am detracting
  progressive
• are detracting
  progressive
• is detracting
  progressive
• have been detracting
  perfect progressive
• has been detracting
  perfect progressive

Past

• detracted
  simple
• had detracted
  perfect
• was detracting
  progressive
• were detracting
  progressive
• had been detracting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will detract
  simple
• will have detracted
  perfect
• will be detracting
  progressive
• will have been detracting
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of detract

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Middle French detracter or directly from Latin dētractus “drawn away” (past participle of dētrahere ), equivalent to dē- de- + tractus “drawn”; see tract ¹

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Explanation

If you detract from something — like an achievement or an opinion or an object — you take away some of its value or diminish it. That dent in the door of your car may detract from its overall value. The verb detract comes from the Latin word detrahere, meaning “draw away from,” or “take down.” If you detract from someone’s credibility, you reduce — or take down — that person's worth. When you make valid points opposing an argument a politician is making, you detract from her platform. Detract can also describe drawing attention away from something. If the politician then makes a public display of her humanity, she's trying to detract attention away from your arguments.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

detract detracts detracted detracting

Tensions between the Pacific's partners should not detract from island priorities on renewable energy, drug crime, food security and climate change, he urged.

From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026

“To the extent the solar power boom was a key driver of early-to-mid summer power burn weakness, narrowing daylight hours may detract from non-thermal generation,” Eli Rubin of EBW Analytics says in a note.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

Should they detract from her advice, when maybe hearing “I have a good kid” could really help someone?

From Slate ● May 10, 2026

"So yes, we are close allies, we do disagree on things, but that doesn't detract from the value that both sides get from this relationship and have done over many decades," she said.

From BBC ● Apr. 14, 2026

“Nice of you to turn up, Potter, although you have evidently decided that the wearing of school robes would detract from your appearance.”

From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling

Speaking on Wednesday before his first tournament since the Ryder Cup, McIlroy said the focus on the fans' behaviour detracts from a rare European win on American soil.

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2025

And when you’re with other people, pocket the phone: Even its mere presence diverts attention and detracts from enjoyment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2025

But he warned that even if India makes up for lost ground, “this kind of volatility is not good for the market on the whole. It detracts from the ambitious targets the government has set.”

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 6, 2024

That displacement makes it more challenging for service providers to locate the unsheltered person, address their needs and continue to build trust, which detracts from the goal of providing housing.

From Salon ● Jan. 27, 2024

As Turner states, the idea that the “performing arts” must always be performed onstage to be valid detracts from their use to develop and explore the emotional, cognitive, social development and human potential.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

The city’s price correction, along with a broader run-up in inventory in Texas, has detracted from Austin’s near-term appeal to builders, many of whom offer buyers incentives at the expense of their margins.

From Barron's ● May 31, 2026

Frazier’s natural skill as an “Entertainment Tonight” host helped smooth the transitions to Malkin’s stammering and distracting voice, but their worthless gushing detracted from the moment.

From Salon ● Jan. 12, 2026

Trade detracted 0.1 percentage point from growth, with imports up 1.5% and exports up 1.0%.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 3, 2025

Yamamoto’s season being shortened by injury to just 18 starts also detracted from that process.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 27, 2025

Though he was of average build, his cheeks had a plumpness to them; this, along with the eyelashes, detracted, he feared, from what he hoped was a distinguished profile.

From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri

Mr. Gallo’s design for this is evocative, but a backdrop depicting a cityscape looms behind it, detracting from the play’s intimacy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 26, 2026

But regardless of how that comeback ends, Vonn isn’t worried about it detracting from what she’s already accomplished.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2025

But they were deemed to be too loud and risked "drowning supporter emotions and detracting from the experience of the game," European football's governing body said.

From BBC ● Feb. 7, 2024

This might sound trivial, but at the highest pro levels, when athletes compete for jobs that pay millions of dollars, they don’t want anything detracting from their production.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 31, 2023

This uncompromising Realism, so far from detracting, only enhances the genius of this powerful novel.

From Mathilde Blind by George Eliot

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Related Words

• draw away

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