as in to divert
to draw the attention or mind to something else
numerous typos in the text detract the reader's attention from the novel's intricate plot
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Recent Examples of detract
Even the prospect of another low-scoring Niners-Seahawks slugfest shouldn’t detract greatly from that NFC West rivalry, while the Rams-Bears capper has the potential to set the ratings dials on fire.
—
Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Some asserted that the commitment and costs of traveling and attending meetings paired with the limited compensation was detracting members of the public from running for office.
—Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 19 Sep. 2025
For Loeffler, a 50-year-old father of three kids, those ever-expanding duties demanded too much time and detracted too much attention from the objects of his sports obsessions.
—Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2025
If the expansion detracts somehow from the SARA cult fever, the co-owners are OK with that.
—Senior Wine Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 15 June 2017
See All Example Sentences for detract
Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Some asserted that the commitment and costs of traveling and attending meetings paired with the limited compensation was detracting members of the public from running for office.
—Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 19 Sep. 2025
For Loeffler, a 50-year-old father of three kids, those ever-expanding duties demanded too much time and detracted too much attention from the objects of his sports obsessions.
—Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2025
If the expansion detracts somehow from the SARA cult fever, the co-owners are OK with that.
—Senior Wine Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 15 June 2017
See All Example Sentences for detract
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detract
Verb
-
Simply cut your downspout to the height of your rain barrel and divert water into it.—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
29 Apr. 2026
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But the shortages of Patriot defense systems remain a concern amid reports that the Pentagon is considering diverting advanced defensive weapons earmarked for Ukraine to the Middle East.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That is a consideration for some test subjects, as the virtual reality environment can throw off sensitive stomachs.—
Kristin Shaw,
Popular Science,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Otherwise, there was little evidence of factors that might be throwing off the results.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Detract.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detract. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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